MDL for Kia, Hyundai Vehicle Theft Actions Created in Calif. Federal Court

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has created a multidistrict litigation docket for a growing number of actions accusing Kia America Inc. and Hyundai Motor America of failing to include immobilizer technology in their vehicles to prevent theft.

In a Dec. 13 order, the panel transferred the cases to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California and appointed Judge James V. Selna to oversee the pretrial proceedings.

Certain plaintiffs in the actions petitioned the JPML for the MDL, arguing that the Central District of California is an appropriate forum, given that it is where …