J&J Talc Litigation After the Bankruptcy Collapse: Trials and Mediation Resume
With J&J's third attempt to resolve talc claims in bankruptcy rejected, the largest active MDL in the federal system — roughly 68,000 cases — is back in court. The company says it is not currently pursuing a global settlement, even as a court-appointed mediator works in the background.
Key Takeaways
- J&J's third bankruptcy attempt — filed through subsidiary Red River Talc (a ~$8–9B plan) — was rejected in April 2025, so all MDL claims now proceed in court
- J&J has publicly stated it is not currently pursuing a global settlement and intends to defend the cases
- A court-appointed mediator (Fouad Kurdi) has convened settlement sessions under Judge Shipp's order; the first federal bellwether (reported as Carter Judkins) is on track for trial later in 2026
- Recent context: a March 2026 federal jury returned a $50M mesothelioma verdict; a Los Angeles court vacated $950M in punitive damages while leaving a $16M compensatory award
- This is the largest active MDL in the federal system at roughly 68,000 pending cases
The bankruptcy route is closed
After two earlier "Texas two-step" filings were dismissed, J&J's third attempt — through its subsidiary Red River Talc, proposing roughly $8–9 billion — was rejected by the bankruptcy court in April 2025. J&J did not appeal and withdrew the settlement offer. As a result, the talc claims are proceeding in the MDL before Judge Michael Shipp and in state courts, rather than through Chapter 11.
Mediation continues, but no global deal
A court-appointed mediator (Fouad Kurdi) has convened settlement sessions under an order requiring representatives with full authority on both sides, but J&J has continued to say it is not currently pursuing a global settlement. The first federal bellwether (reported as Carter Judkins) remains on track for trial later in 2026. This is general litigation reporting; figures and case names are attributed to the sources below and remain subject to docket confirmation.
Full J&J Talc MDL background & eligibility
For the complete overview — the science, verdict history, and how cases proceed — visit our case hub.
Sources
- • Reporting on the 2025 dismissal of the Red River Talc Chapter 11 plan (Reuters/AP/Bloomberg).
- • Drugwatch talc settlement tracker (June 2026): "J&J is not currently pursuing a global talcum powder ovarian cancer settlement."
- • D.N.J. MDL-2738 docket and pretrial orders; JPML statistics.
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