October 05, 2020
Major drug distributors on Monday asked a West Virginia federal judge to delay an imminent bellwether trial in multidistrict opioid litigation by warning of a coronavirus "super-spreader" outbreak, while in Ohio a federal judge postponed another bellwether trial in the MDL because of COVID-19 concerns.
July 17, 2020
Among upcoming product liability cases in the rest of 2020 are oral arguments this fall before the U.S. Supreme Court involving jurisdiction questions in automaker Ford's challenges to a pair of defect suits, as well as an expected rise in suits related to COVID-19 claims. Here are Law360's cases to watch for the rest of the year.
January 30, 2020
The Ohio federal judge overseeing multidistrict opioid litigation has moved back to November an eagerly awaited bellwether trial targeting the nation's largest pharmacy chains, a top plaintiffs' attorney in the MDL said Thursday.
November 19, 2019
The Ohio federal judge guiding multidistrict opioid litigation on Tuesday singled out numerous cases as good candidates for future bellwether trials, pitting a potpourri of plaintiffs against an assortment of drug companies.
October 21, 2019
Two Ohio counties on Monday reached a deal worth $260 million with some of the nation's largest drug companies to avoid the first trial in opioid multidistrict litigation.
October 17, 2019
Amid whirlwind settlement talks, nationwide litigation over the pharmaceutical industry’s alleged role in the opioid crisis is on the cusp of a historic trial. Here, Law360 looks at settlement prospects and key issues if the epic courtroom showdown proceeds.
October 10, 2019
The Sixth Circuit on Thursday rejected eleventh-hour bids by the Ohio attorney general and drug companies to block an upcoming bellwether trial in multidistrict litigation accusing drugmakers of fueling the opioid crisis, rejecting the state's arguments that the counties in the case are usurping its authority.
October 08, 2019
A highly anticipated bellwether trial in the opioid multidistrict litigation is increasingly shrouded in uncertainty amid a flurry of settlements with drugmakers and aggressive maneuvers by drug distributors to avoid going before a jury.
October 01, 2019
The Ohio attorney general's new campaign to torpedo the first bellwether trial in multidistrict opioid litigation is happening way too late and misconstrues key legal issues, the MDL's supervising judge told the Sixth Circuit on Tuesday.
September 25, 2019
Drug manufacturers and distributors on Wednesday previewed their attack plans for the first bellwether trial in multidistrict opioid litigation, pinning blame for an addiction epidemic on corrupt doctors, criminal cartels and even the local government plaintiffs themselves.