Opioid MDL plaintiffs propose creating Negotiating Class to ease settlement of current, potential future cases
UPDATE: On July 9, 2019, the PEC filed an Amended Motion for Class Certification. Read the amended filing.
A proposed “Negotiating Class” of municipalities, including cities, counties, towns parishes, villages and boroughs, would help thousands of communities that are struggling with the effects of the opioid crisis function as a cohesive group for the sole purpose of negotiating a settlement with opioid defendants, plaintiffs in the National Prescription Opiate Multidistrict Litigation stated in a filing presented June 14, 2019 to U.S. District Judge Dan Polster.
Such a proposed Class has never been created before in this context, but doing so would expedite the litigation process by allowing both plaintiff and non-plaintiff jurisdictions to engage in settlement talks with defendants as one collective voice, thereby clearing the way for opioid defendants to reach a deal that would resolve the bulk of current and potential future cases at one time.
Judge Polster, is expected to rule on the proposed Class on a later date.
Read more on the proposed Negotiating Class in a blog written by Motley Rice co-founder Joe Rice, who is co-lead of the national MDL and chair of the negotiating committee.
Read the Plaintiff’s Executive Committee’s announcement of the proposal.