3M Earplug Cases’ Activation Halted After Unit’s Bankruptcy Bid

The process of transferring service members’ hearing loss cases against 3M Co. and its Aearo Technologies LLC subsidiary from an inactive to an active docket will be suspended due to “recent developments” and other issues, a federal court in Florida said.

Although Judge M. Casey Rodgers didn’t use the term “bankruptcy” in her order Thursday, the most significant recent development in the litigation over allegedly ineffective combat earplugs was 3M’s announcement Tuesday that Aearo had filed for Chapter 11 relief in federal court in Indiana.

Whether the Indiana court will issue an automatic bankruptcy stay, pausing mass tort litigation over ...