Multidistrict Litigation Rules Proposal Gets Chilly Reception

A proposed new rule change for multidistrict litigation management has opened to weak reviews from all sides.

Plaintiffs’ attorneys who oversee those cases said they don’t see a need for new management and organization rules, because judges already have tools to keep mass litigation in check. A defense attorney and a law professor say the proposal doesn’t address real problems and only creates the illusion of action without addressing concrete management issues.

Multidistrict litigation proceedings, known as MDLs, involve transferring civil cases with similar issues to a single district judge to handle pretrial proceedings. Cases in MDLs are so voluminous ...