Ohio AG Seeks Delay of Landmark Opioid Trial

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has asked the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to delay an upcoming trial of two bellwether cases brought by Cuyahoga and Summit counties against Purdue Pharma.

The state of Ohio sued several drugmakers including Purdue in state courts in 2017 and 2018 for damages related to the opioid crisis. At the same time, Cuyahoga sued Purdue in 2017 and Summit county sued 2018 for a total of $8 billion in damages for their part related to the opioid case.

The cases brought by Cuyahoga and Summit counties were selected as bellwethers for 2,000 cases that were consolidated in the U.S. District Court for Northern Ohio. A seven-week trial is scheduled to begin Oct. 21.