MDL Litigation

Multidistrict litigation, also known as MDL litigation, is a procedure utilized in the federal court system to transfer to one federal judge all pending civil cases of a similar type filed throughout the United States. The decision whether cases should be transferred is made by a panel of seven federal judges appointed by the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The Judicial Panel on MDL litigation meets periodically to review requests that cases be consolidated for pretrial matters. Although the panel meets in different cities in the United States on a periodic basis, the Clerk of the Panel is permanently stationed in Washington, D. C. The attorneys in the Washington, D. C. office of Shook, Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. (SHB) are uniquely qualified to handle MDL litigation for clients in a number of industries.

The judge who sits for all the federal cases assigned is known as the "transferee judge." Judges from across the United States send cases to the MDL litigation judge. They are referred to as the "transferor judges" or "transferor courts."

The Judicial Panel on MDL litigation was created by legislation in 1968 in response to the difficulty among the courts in coordinating almost 2,000 related cases that were then pending in 36 districts around the country which alleged a nationwide antitrust conspiracy among electrical equipment manufacturers. A consensus evolved among lawmakers and the judiciary that the Judicial Panel on MDL litigation was needed to coordinate complex cases filed in multiple districts. The Judicial Panel on MDL litigation consists of seven judges presided over by the chairman. The duties of each panel member are the same with respect to deciding cases. The chairman of the Panel’s responsibilities includes the oversight of the Panel's office, its staff of 20 employees, and its budget. Also, the chairman usually handles any necessary contacts with the transferee district.

The Judicial Panel on MDL Litigation is located in Washington, D. C. at the following address:

To learn more about our MDL litigation experience, contact us today.