February 24, 2020
Francis McGovern, one of the three special masters in the opioid multidistrict litigation, who played a key role in crafting a novel "negotiation class" with the aim of seeking a nationwide deal, recently died at the age of 75.
February 21, 2020
The Ohio federal judge overseeing the opioid multidistrict litigation allowed union benefit plans to go forward with their suit alleging that opioid companies created a public nuisance, finding that they claim injuries different from the harm to health and safety suffered by the general public.
February 18, 2020
An Ohio federal judge's creation of a "negotiation class" intended to help resolve the multidistrict opioid litigation subverts state governmental authority by allowing potentially every U.S. city and county to strike global settlements with drug companies, a coalition of states told the Sixth Circuit.
February 13, 2020
The Sixth Circuit on Thursday paused nationwide discovery in the opioid multidistrict litigation as the panel considers a petition by pharmacies that claims the Ohio judge presiding over the litigation repeatedly flouted federal court rules.
February 13, 2020
An Ohio federal judge on Thursday overruled objections from several pharmacies being asked to disclose the ages of patients in discovery in sprawling opioid multidistrict litigation, saying in light of the other data being produced, disclosing the ages does not present a risk to patient privacy.
February 07, 2020
Drug distributors and cities fired away Friday at a "negotiation class" intended to help resolve the multidistrict opioid litigation, telling the Sixth Circuit that the unprecedented approach flouts class action procedures and is tainted by attorney conflicts of interest.
February 05, 2020
The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation on Wednesday moved opioid-crisis cases involving San Francisco and a major Native American tribe to federal courts in California and Oklahoma, rejecting strident objections from drug companies and teeing up dramatic bellwether trials.
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.
January 28, 2020
A special master in the opioid multidistrict litigation in Ohio on Monday outlined what data pharmacies have to turn over to local governments in the litigation, including information on non-opioids that are associated with "doctor-shopping."
January 27, 2020
An Ohio federal judge on Monday refused attempts by Rite Aid, Walmart and others to dismiss claims alleging that their failure to stop opioids from being diverted for illicit purposes created a public nuisance, saying that counties had shown evidence to back the allegations.