November 2026 MDL Statistics Report
Comprehensive analysis of federal multidistrict litigation data from the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML).
November 2026 Overview
The November 2026 JPML report shows 204,987 pending actions across 164 active dockets. Pending cases were essentially flat, up 10 from October, while cumulative filings rose by 1,771 to 719,296. Four MDLs were newly centralized and two dockets closed, a net gain of two. Transferee judges rose to 142; transferee districts held at 50.
Social Media Adolescent Addiction (MDL-3047) led all gainers for a second straight month, adding 485 cases to reach 4,309. Hair Relaxer (MDL-3060) added 362 (to 12,743), more than its cumulative filings rose (+190), and Bard PowerPort (MDL-3081) added 205 (to 4,345), in line with its pace of roughly 200 cases a month. GLP-1 (MDL-3094, +57) and J&J Talcum Powder (MDL-2738, +36 to 69,376) rounded out the top five; talc remains by far the largest active MDL.
On the other side, NCAA Student-Athlete Concussion (MDL-2492) fell from 549 to 166 (−383) with no change in cumulative filings. The JPML report gives no reason; the court's September 8, 2026 order directed parties with settled cases to file stipulations of dismissal by September 30 and said the court would likely prepare a recommendation to remand and close the MDL in October. Uber Sexual Assault (MDL-3084) fell by 368 to 4,548 even though 331 new actions were filed, so roughly 700 cases left the docket in one month. The JPML report gives no reason, and no court filing or report we found explains the decline. Baby Food (MDL-3101) fell by 211 to 286; separately, on October 14, 2026 the court granted summary judgment on the autism and ADHD claims in cases filed by November 21, 2025, though no source ties that ruling to the count change. Roundup (MDL-2741) fell another 188 to 916, and its cumulative filings figure dropped by five, a number that normally only rises; the report does not explain either change. Paragard (MDL-2974, −120 to 4,104) also declined. The federal MDL system remains highly concentrated: the top 5 dockets account for 64.4% of all pending actions and the top 25 for 96.2%.
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Largest Active MDLs
Top 25 = 96.2% of all cases| # | MDL | Litigation | District | Pending | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDL-2738 | J&J Talcum Powder | NJ | 69,376 | +36 |
| 2 | MDL-2846 | Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh | OHS | 23,299 | -25 |
| 3 | MDL-2873 | AFFF Firefighting Foam | SC | 15,270 | +6 |
| 4 | MDL-3060 | Hair Relaxer Products | ILN | 12,743 | +362 |
| 5 | MDL-2789 | Proton-Pump Inhibitor (No. II) | NJ | 11,404 | 0 |
| 6 | MDL-2666 | Bair Hugger Warming Devices | MN | 8,414 | -10 |
| 7 | MDL-3004 | Paraquat Herbicide | ILS | 6,635 | +33 |
| 8 | MDL-2570 | Cook Medical IVC Filters | INS | 6,467 | -3 |
| 9 | MDL-3140 | Depo-Provera | FLN | 6,413 | +1 |
| 10 | MDL-3084 | Uber Sexual Assault | CAN | 4,548 | -368 |
| 11 | MDL-3081 | Bard PowerPort Catheter | AZ | 4,345 | +205 |
| 12 | MDL-3047 | Social Media Addiction | CAN | 4,309 | +485 |
| 13 | MDL-2974 | Paragard IUD | GAN | 4,104 | -120 |
| 14 | MDL-3094 | GLP-1/Ozempic | PAE | 4,082 | +57 |
| 15 | MDL-2804 | National Prescription Opiates | OHN | 2,877 | 0 |
| 16 | MDL-3029 | Covidien Hernia Mesh | MA | 2,486 | +7 |
| 17 | MDL-3092 | Suboxone Film | OHN | 2,016 | -6 |
| 18 | MDL-3044 | Exactech Orthopedic | NYE | 1,838 | 0 |
| 19 | MDL-2875 | Valsartan Blood Pressure | NJ | 1,422 | -4 |
| 20 | MDL-2921 | Allergan Breast Implant | NJ | 1,370 | 0 |
| 21 | MDL-2741 | Roundup Weedkiller | CAN | 916 | -188 |
| 22 | MDL-3026 | Preterm Infant Formula/NEC | ILN | 847 | +3 |
| 23 | MDL-2924 | Zantac/Ranitidine | FLS | 806 | -41 |
| 24 | MDL-3014 | Philips CPAP/Ventilator Recall | PAW | 626 | +3 |
| 25 | MDL-2243 | Fosamax | NJ | 559 | 0 |
Docket Changes in November 2026
The active docket count rose by two to 164 in November 2026: four MDLs were newly centralized and two closed. The Panel created all four new MDLs after its September 24, 2026 hearing session, and it declined to place the Abbott and Nevro spinal cord stimulator cases with Boston Scientific's MDL-3181. Both closures appear on the JPML's list of litigations closed in October 2026; see the 2026 terminated MDL archive for how each ended.
Newly Centralized
- MDL-3194: Abbott Laboratories Spinal Cord Stimulator Products Liability Litigation · N.D. Ill., Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins · 27 pending
- MDL-3195: Nevro Corporation Spinal Cord Stimulator Products Liability Litigation · N.D. Cal., Judge Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr. · 24 pending
- MDL-3197: Amazon Tariff Litigation · W.D. Wash., Judge John H. Chun · transfer order filed October 2, 2026 · 7 pending
- MDL-3199: Apple AirTag Marketing, Sales Practices, and Products Liability Litigation · N.D. Cal., Judge Noël Wise · transfer order filed October 2, 2026 · 29 pending
Terminated
- MDL-2972: Blackbaud, Inc., Customer Data Security Breach Litigation · D.S.C., Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. · closed October 8, 2026 (26 pending in October)
- MDL-3078: Generac Solar Power Systems Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation · E.D. Wis., Judge Lynn S. Adelman · closed October 27, 2026 (8 pending in October; $15 million class settlement approved October 22)
Zero-pending watch: Zostavax (MDL-2848) and Crop Protection Products Loyalty Program Antitrust (MDL-3062) stayed at zero pending for a second month, alongside Ethicon Physiomesh (MDL-2782), Clearview AI (MDL-2967) and Johnson & Johnson Sunscreen (MDL-3015), and may drop off a future report.
Fastest Growing Litigation
Key Trend: Growth stayed concentrated in personal-injury dockets still in active filing phases. Social Media (MDL-3047, +485), Hair Relaxer (MDL-3060, +362), and Bard PowerPort (MDL-3081, +205) together added 1,052 cases, more than the rest of the top ten combined. The ten fastest-growing MDLs added 1,262 cases in all, while Depo-Provera (MDL-3140) added just one case after its July 2026 settlement agreement.
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MDLs with Case Reductions
NCAA Student-Athlete Concussion
Uber Sexual Assault
Baby Food Heavy Metals
Roundup Weedkiller
Paragard IUD
Zantac/Ranitidine
MDL Distribution by Litigation Type
| Category | MDLs | Pending | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Products | 10 | 91,330 | 44.6% |
| Medical Device | 25 | 53,967 | 26.3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 22 | 31,314 | 15.3% |
| Agricultural/Environmental | 5 | 22,839 | 11.1% |
| Other / Sales Practices | 42 | 3,421 | 1.7% |
| Data Breach/Privacy | 19 | 1,063 | 0.5% |
| Antitrust | 41 | 1,053 | 0.5% |
MDL Distribution by Federal District
| # | District | Full Name | MDLs | Pending | % Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NJ | District of New Jersey | 12 | 84,948 | 41.4% |
| 2 | OHS | Southern District of Ohio | 2 | 23,306 | 11.4% |
| 3 | SC | District of South Carolina | 1 | 15,270 | 7.4% |
| 4 | ILN | Northern District of Illinois | 13 | 14,408 | 7% |
| 5 | CAN | Northern District of California | 21 | 11,177 | 5.5% |
| 6 | MN | District of Minnesota | 9 | 8,831 | 4.3% |
| 7 | ILS | Southern District of Illinois | 1 | 6,635 | 3.2% |
| 8 | INS | Southern District of Indiana | 1 | 6,467 | 3.2% |
| 9 | FLN | Northern District of Florida | 2 | 6,415 | 3.1% |
| 10 | OHN | Northern District of Ohio | 3 | 4,996 | 2.4% |
District of New Jersey Dominance: The District of New Jersey continues to host the lion's share of pending MDL actions at 41.4% across 12 dockets, driven primarily by the massive J&J Talcum Powder (69,376 cases) and Proton-Pump Inhibitor (11,404 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
Taxotere Chemotherapy
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: November 2, 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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