April 2026 MDL Statistics Report
Comprehensive analysis of federal multidistrict litigation data from the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML).
April 2026 Overview
The April 2026 JPML report shows 198,825 pending actions across 158 active dockets. This represents a modest net increase of 345 pending cases from March 2026, with two MDLs terminated (SoClean and Evolve Bank data breach). No new MDLs were centralized this month.
The Depo-Provera litigation (MDL-3140) continues its rapid growth with 391 new cases this month, pushing its total from 3,099 to 3,490 pending actions. Meanwhile, two MDLs were terminated: MDL-3021 (SoClean) and MDL-3127 (Evolve Bank data breach), bringing the active docket count down to 158.
The Hair Relaxer litigation (MDL-3060) also saw strong growth with 245 new cases (11,440 total), while the GLP-1/Ozempic litigation (MDL-3094) added 172 cases to reach 3,363 pending actions. The Bard PowerPort catheter litigation (MDL-3081) grew by 154 cases.
Notable new additions include the Lyft Sexual Assault MDL (MDL-3171), mirroring the existing Uber litigation, and the return of the 3M Combat Arms Earplug MDL (MDL-2885) to the docket with over 391,000 historical actions. Meanwhile, the J&J Talcum Powder litigation (MDL-2738) continued to decline, shedding 507 cases.
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Largest Active MDLs
Top 25 = 95.2% of all cases| # | MDL | Litigation | District | Pending | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDL-2738 | Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder | NJ | 67,376 | +261 |
| 2 | MDL-2846 | Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh | OHS | 23,693 | -2 |
| 3 | MDL-2873 | AFFF Firefighting Foam | SC | 15,222 | +2 |
| 4 | MDL-3060 | Hair Relaxer Products | ILN | 11,371 | -69 |
| 5 | MDL-2789 | Proton-Pump Inhibitor (No. II) | NJ | 11,322 | 0 |
| 6 | MDL-2666 | Bair Hugger Warming Devices | MN | 8,550 | +15 |
| 7 | MDL-2570 | Cook Medical IVC Filters | INS | 6,569 | -181 |
| 8 | MDL-3004 | Paraquat Herbicide | ILS | 6,542 | +33 |
| 9 | MDL-2974 | Paragard IUD | GAN | 3,982 | +56 |
| 10 | MDL-2741 | Roundup Weedkiller | CAN | 3,884 | -3 |
| 11 | MDL-3094 | GLP-1/Ozempic | PAE | 3,546 | +183 |
| 12 | MDL-3140 | Depo-Provera | FLN | 3,490 | +391 |
| 13 | MDL-3084 | Uber Sexual Assault | CAN | 3,391 | +100 |
| 14 | MDL-3081 | Bard PowerPort Catheter | AZ | 3,044 | +216 |
| 15 | MDL-2804 | National Prescription Opiates | OHN | 2,941 | -16 |
| 16 | MDL-3047 | Social Media Adolescent Addiction | CAN | 2,465 | +58 |
| 17 | MDL-3029 | Covidien Hernia Mesh | MA | 2,387 | +39 |
| 18 | MDL-3092 | Suboxone Film | OHN | 1,836 | -13 |
| 19 | MDL-3044 | Exactech Orthopedic | NYE | 1,838 | 0 |
| 20 | MDL-2921 | Allergan Breast Implant | NJ | 1,485 | +4 |
| 21 | MDL-2875 | Valsartan Blood Pressure | NJ | 1,420 | +2 |
| 22 | MDL-2924 | Zantac/Ranitidine | FLS | 847 | -4 |
| 23 | MDL-2848 | Zostavax Shingles Vaccine | PAE | 826 | 0 |
| 24 | MDL-3026 | Preterm Infant Formula/NEC | ILN | 782 | +3 |
| 25 | MDL-2740 | Taxotere Chemotherapy | LAE | 683 | -490 |
New MDLs Centralized in April 2026
Five new MDLs were centralized by the JPML this month.
Fastest Growing Litigation
Key Trend: Depo-Provera (MDL-3140) added another 391 cases in April, continuing as the fastest-growing MDL with 3,490 pending actions. Bard PowerPort (MDL-3081) also saw significant growth with 216 new cases, surpassing 3,000 pending for the first time.
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MDLs with Case Reductions
Taxotere Chemotherapy
Cook Medical IVC Filters
Hair Relaxer Products
National Prescription Opiates
Suboxone Film
MDLs Terminated in April 2026
Two Xarelto-related MDLs were terminated by the JPML in April 2026.
Consumer product litigation involving SoClean CPAP cleaning devices. Claims alleged ozone cleaning caused respiratory harm. Resolved after individual settlements and dismissals.
Data breach litigation resolved through an $11.85 million class settlement providing credit monitoring and cash payments to affected customers.
MDL Distribution by Litigation Type
| Category | MDLs | Pending | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Products | 4 | 78,437 | 39.5% |
| Other Products Liability | 40 | 51,685 | 26% |
| Medical Device | 14 | 46,388 | 23.4% |
| Agricultural/Environmental | 2 | 10,396 | 5.2% |
| Sexual Assault/Misconduct | 3 | 3,319 | 1.7% |
| Opioid Litigation | 2 | 3,199 | 1.6% |
| Other | 26 | 2,167 | 1.1% |
| Data Breach/Privacy | 19 | 1,065 | 0.5% |
| Antitrust | 31 | 913 | 0.5% |
MDL Distribution by Federal District
| # | District | Full Name | MDLs | Pending | % Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NJ | District of New Jersey | 9 | 81,603 | 41% |
| 2 | OHS | Southern District of Ohio | 2 | 23,702 | 11.9% |
| 3 | SC | District of South Carolina | 2 | 15,246 | 7.7% |
| 4 | ILN | Northern District of Illinois | 12 | 13,345 | 6.7% |
| 5 | CAN | Northern District of California | 18 | 10,737 | 5.4% |
| 6 | MN | District of Minnesota | 7 | 8,802 | 4.4% |
| 7 | INS | Southern District of Indiana | 1 | 6,569 | 3.3% |
| 8 | ILS | Southern District of Illinois | 1 | 6,509 | 3.3% |
| 9 | OHN | Northern District of Ohio | 4 | 4,948 | 2.5% |
| 10 | PAE | Eastern District of Pennsylvania | 7 | 4,736 | 2.4% |
District of New Jersey Dominance: The District of New Jersey continues to host the lion's share of pending MDL actions at 40.9%, driven primarily by the massive J&J Talcum Powder (67,115 cases) and Proton-Pump Inhibitor (11,322 cases) litigations.
Case Concentration Analysis
The federal MDL system exhibits extreme concentration, with a small number of mega-litigations dominating the landscape.
Litigation Winding Down
3M Combat Arms Earplug
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Avandia
Ethicon Physiomesh
Data Sources & Methodology
All statistics presented in this report are derived from official data published by the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML). The JPML is the federal judicial body responsible for determining whether civil actions pending in different federal districts involve common questions of fact warranting consolidation for pretrial proceedings.
Primary Source
- Report: Distribution of Pending MDL Dockets by Actions Pending
- Report Date: April 1, 2026
- Publisher: United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation
Definitions
- Pending Actions: Individual cases currently awaiting resolution within an MDL
- Total/Historical Actions: Cumulative count of all cases ever transferred to an MDL since its creation
- Transferee District: The federal district court where an MDL's pretrial proceedings are consolidated
- Transferee Judge: The federal judge assigned to oversee the consolidated pretrial proceedings
The JPML publishes updated statistics on the first business day of each month. MDLUpdate.com analyzes and publishes these statistics within 24-48 hours of release.
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