Apotex Inc. v. Merck & Co. Inc., 2001 FCA 366

                                                                                                                                            Date: 20011127

                                                                                                                                       Dockets: A-226-00

                                                                                                                                                        A-410-01

                                                                                                                                                    (T-2408-91)

                                                                                                                 Neutral citation:2001 FCA 366

C O R A M:    STRAYER J.A.

B E T W E E N:

                                                                       APOTEX INC.

                                                                                                                                                       Appellant

                                                                                                                                                   (Defendant)

                                                                           -- and --

                                                         DR. BERNARD SHERMAN

                                                                                                                                                       Appellant

                                                                           -- and --

                                                            MERCK & CO., INC. and

                                                  MERCK FROSST CANADA & CO.

                                                                                                                                               Respondents

                                                                                                                                                      (Plaintiffs)

                                                            REASONS FOR ORDER

STRAYER J.A.

[1]                 I have reviewed the terms of the Consent Order for the processing of these appeals and have issued it with modifications concerning the length of memoranda of fact and law and the time for their preparation.

[2]                 The appellants request leave to file a memorandum of 100 pages, and the respondents seek leave for a memorandum of similar length in order to respond to the multitude of issues the appellants say they intend to raise. I am allowing memoranda of 60 pages each. I have the impression from the appellants' description of their issues that they may misapprehend the scope of an appeal court's function. I am confident that if they confine themselves to meaningful issues that are genuinely reviewable on appeal they can provide in such a memorandum, as required by sub-rule 70(1)

and the other information required. I have allowed the extraordinary length of 60 pages because there are two appeals involving two appellants each, although it is obvious that the issues are all inter-related. I might add that this Court hears many joint appeals with two or more appellants where the normal 30 page memorandum amply suffices and I think I have made quite adequate allowance for any special circumstances in this case.

[3]                 I must of course allow a commensurate amount of space for the respondents to reply to the appellants as that is essentially what they request.

[4]                 The parties request 90 days each to write their epic works. In the light of my decision on length of the documents, I am allowing them 45 days. They will have ample time from the date of this order to start their compositions, while the appeal books are being prepared.

          (s) "B.L. Strayer"                                                                                                                               J.A.

                                                    FEDERAL COURT OF APPEAL

                              NAMES OF COUNSEL AND SOLICITORS OF RECORD

DOCKET:                                             A-226-00 & A-410-01

STYLE OF CAUSE:                          

                                                                       APOTEX INC.

and

DR. BERNARD SHERMAN

and

MERCK & CO., INC. and

MERCK FROSST CANADA & CO.

MOTION DEALT WITH ON RECORD

REASONS FOR ORDER :              STRAYER, J.A.

DATED:                                                NOVEMBER 27, 2001

REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY:

H.B. Radomski                                                                               FOR THE APPELLANT (APOTEX INC.)

Brian Greenspan                                                                             FOR THE APPELLANT

(DR. BERNARD SHEMAN)

G. Alexander Macklin                                                                     FOR THE RESPONDENT

SOLICITORS OF RECORD:

Goodmans LLP                                                                              FOR THE APPELLANT

Toronto, Ontario                                                                            (APOTEX INC.)

Greenspan, Humphrey & Lavine           FOR THE APPELLANT

Toronto, Ontario                                                                            (DR. BERNARD SHEMAN)

Gowlings Lafleur Henderson LLP         FOR THE RESPONDENT

Ottawa, Ontario