J&J Spurs DOJ Venue Fight Over Third Bankruptcy Filing in Texas

Johnson & Johnson’s third bankruptcy filing to resolve tens of thousands of suits alleging its talc-based baby powder caused cancer is poised to face a slew of familiar challenges by opposing lawyers, including to its new choice of venue—Texas.

The Chapter 11 case of J&J unit Red River Talc LLC was filed in Houston unit on Sept. 20 with a proposal to resolve the litigation with a roughly $8 billion deal. Though it touts the support of 83% of talc claimants for the settlement, the company is already facing a motion by the Justice Department’s bankruptcy monitor, the US ...