January 2026 MDL Statistics Report
Comprehensive analysis of federal multidistrict litigation data from the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML).
January 2026 Overview
The January 2026 JPML report reveals a federal MDL landscape comprising 197,965 pending actions spread across 158 active dockets. This represents a modest net decrease of 198 pending cases from December 2025, reflecting the ongoing tension between new filings and case resolutions across the system.
The most significant development this month is the continued rapid expansion of the Depo-Provera litigation (MDL-3140), which added 282 cases to reach 1,752 pending actions. The GLP-1/Ozempic litigation (MDL-3094) also showed strong growth with 116 new cases, bringing its total to 3,063 pending actions.
Five new MDLs were created in January 2026, including litigation involving Roblox Corporation child safety concerns (MDL-3166), Trans Union data security breach (MDL-3170), and additional GLP-1 receptor agonist claims related to eye injuries (MDL-3163).
Notably, the Zantac litigation (MDL-2924) saw the largest single decline, dropping 782 pending cases as that litigation continues to wind down following earlier bellwether trial outcomes and settlements.
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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 | 67,580 | -90 |
| 2 | MDL-2846 | Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh | OHS | 23,749 | -69 |
| 3 | MDL-2873 | AFFF Firefighting Foam | SC | 15,213 | -121 |
| 4 | MDL-2789 | Proton-Pump Inhibitor (No. II) | NJ | 11,322 | -6 |
| 5 | MDL-3060 | Hair Relaxer Products | ILN | 10,948 | +104 |
| 6 | MDL-2666 | Bair Hugger Warming Devices | MN | 8,666 | -3 |
| 7 | MDL-2570 | Cook Medical IVC Filters | INS | 6,896 | -5 |
| 8 | MDL-3004 | Paraquat Herbicide | ILS | 6,476 | +6 |
| 9 | MDL-2741 | Roundup Weedkiller | CAN | 4,511 | +3 |
| 10 | MDL-2974 | Paragard IUD | GAN | 3,800 | +51 |
| 11 | MDL-3084 | Uber Sexual Assault | CAN | 3,078 | +129 |
| 12 | MDL-3094 | GLP-1/Ozempic | PAE | 3,063 | +116 |
| 13 | MDL-2804 | National Prescription Opiates | OHN | 2,964 | -1 |
| 14 | MDL-3081 | Bard PowerPort Catheter | AZ | 2,545 | +82 |
| 15 | MDL-3047 | Social Media Adolescent Addiction | CAN | 2,243 | +52 |
| 16 | MDL-3029 | Covidien Hernia Mesh | MA | 2,239 | +34 |
| 17 | MDL-2740 | Taxotere Chemotherapy | LAE | 2,187 | -22 |
| 18 | MDL-3092 | Suboxone Film | OHN | 1,854 | -17 |
| 19 | MDL-3044 | Exactech Orthopedic | NYE | 1,838 | 0 |
| 20 | MDL-3140 | Depo-Provera | FLN | 1,752 | +282 |
| 21 | MDL-2921 | Allergan Breast Implant | NJ | 1,482 | +1 |
| 22 | MDL-2875 | Valsartan Blood Pressure | NJ | 1,381 | +12 |
| 23 | MDL-2924 | Zantac/Ranitidine | FLS | 1,030 | -782 |
| 24 | MDL-2848 | Zostavax Shingles Vaccine | PAE | 826 | 0 |
| 25 | MDL-3026 | Preterm Infant Formula/NEC | ILN | 769 | -5 |
Fastest Growing Litigation
Key Trend: The Depo-Provera litigation is experiencing explosive growth, adding 282 cases in January alone, a 19.2% month-over-month increase. This birth control injection litigation has emerged as one of the fastest-growing MDLs in the federal system.
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MDLs with Case Reductions
Zantac/Ranitidine
AFFF Firefighting Foam
J&J Talcum Powder
Bard Hernia Mesh
Philips CPAP
New Litigation in January 2026
Five new MDLs were centralized by the JPML in January 2026.
NEW Roblox Corporation Child Sexual Exploitation and Assault Litigation MDL-3166 • CAN • 85 cases
Consolidates claims alleging that Roblox's platform failed to protect minor users from predatory behavior, grooming, and exploitation.
NEW Trans Union, LLC, Customer Data Security Breach Litigation MDL-3170 • Northern District of Illinois • 60 cases
Consolidates claims stemming from a data breach at the major credit reporting agency affecting consumer personal information.
NEW GLP-1 RAs Non-Arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Litigation MDL-3163 • PAE • 29 cases
A separate MDL specifically addressing vision-related injuries (NAION) allegedly caused by GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
NEW Class Action Settlement Administration Litigation MDL-3162 • DC • 10 cases
Novel litigation addressing practices in the class action settlement administration industry.
NEW Broiler Chicken Grower Antitrust Litigation (No. III) MDL-3167 • UT • 6 cases
The third iteration of antitrust litigation brought by chicken farmers against poultry processing companies.
MDL Distribution by Litigation Type
| Category | MDLs | Pending | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Products | 3 | 78,528 | 39.7% |
| Other Products Liability | 39 | 50,898 | 25.7% |
| Medical Device | 13 | 46,340 | 23.4% |
| Agricultural/Environmental | 2 | 10,987 | 5.5% |
| Opioid Litigation | 2 | 3,199 | 1.6% |
| Sexual Assault/Misconduct | 2 | 3,163 | 1.6% |
| Other | 26 | 2,213 | 1.1% |
| Data Breach/Privacy | 19 | 1,121 | 0.6% |
| Antitrust | 30 | 900 | 0.5% |
MDL Distribution by Federal District
| # | District | Full Name | MDLs | Pending | % Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NJ | District of New Jersey | 12 | 83,572 | 42.2% |
| 2 | OHS | Southern District of Ohio | 2 | 23,756 | 12% |
| 3 | SC | District of South Carolina | 2 | 15,239 | 7.7% |
| 4 | ILN | Northern District of Illinois | 12 | 12,852 | 6.5% |
| 5 | CAN | Northern District of California | 19 | 11,051 | 5.6% |
| 6 | MN | District of Minnesota | 8 | 8,998 | 4.5% |
| 7 | INS | Southern District of Indiana | 1 | 6,896 | 3.5% |
| 8 | ILS | Southern District of Illinois | 1 | 6,476 | 3.3% |
| 9 | OHN | Northern District of Ohio | 4 | 4,969 | 2.5% |
| 10 | PAE | Eastern District of Pennsylvania | 7 | 4,411 | 2.2% |
District of New Jersey Dominance: The District of New Jersey hosts just 12 MDLs but controls 42.2% of all pending federal MDL actions, driven primarily by the massive J&J Talcum Powder (67,580 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
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Avandia
Ethicon Physiomesh
Xarelto
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: January 5, 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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