State-Federal Court Relations

Because defective drug or device injuries tend to be both numerous and geographically dispersed, parallel state and federal proceedings relating to the same product are common. Questions often arise concerning whether and to what extent federal courts can influence or limit proceedings in state courts, and vice versa. Central to resolving these questions are two federal laws—the All Writs Act and the Anti-Injunction Act—the former empowering federal judges and the latter restraining them. Federal courts overseeing mass torts are often called on to interpret these two laws and attempt to resolve the inherent tension between them.