L.A. court hears Toyota suits

More than 100 federal lawsuits involving sudden acceleration incidents will be consolidated in the Central District of California, and federal Judge James Selna will handle the case out of L.A. Santa Ana. "He is a well regarded and skilled jurist," said the judicial panel that made the site selection. "Moreover, Judge Selna's 28 years of private law practice at the very highest levels and in some of the most complex cases leaves him well prepared for a case of this magnitude." Toyota had pushed for a Southern California location - its U.S. operation is headquartered in Torrance. Also, more actions are pending in the Central District than anywhere else. Selna will select a handful of plaintiffs' lawyers to take the lead in the Toyota litigation.