October 2026 MDL Statistics Report
Comprehensive analysis of federal multidistrict litigation data from the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML).
October 2026 Overview
The October 2026 JPML report shows 204,977 pending actions across 162 active dockets. Pending cases fell by 1,205 from September (−0.6%), the first monthly decline since February and the largest of 2026. The entire drop traces to a single docket: Roundup (MDL-2741), whose pending count fell by 2,821. Excluding Roundup, the rest of the federal MDL system grew by about 1,600 cases. No new MDLs were centralized and four dockets closed, a net loss of four. Transferee judges edged down to 141; transferee districts held at 50.
Social Media Adolescent Addiction (MDL-3047) led all gainers, adding 616 cases to reach 3,824, its largest monthly gain on record. Bard PowerPort (MDL-3081) added 406 (to 4,140); because the September report repeated its August figures exactly, that jump likely reflects about two months of filings. Uber Sexual Assault (MDL-3084) rose +328 (to 4,916). Hair Relaxer (MDL-3060, +252 to 12,381) and Suboxone Film (MDL-3092, +195 to 2,022, after months of flat counts) rounded out the top five. J&J Talcum Powder (MDL-2738) added 90 to 69,340 and remains by far the largest active MDL.
On the other side, Roundup (MDL-2741) fell from 3,925 to 1,104 (−2,821, −72%) in one month after holding near 3,900 since June; total filings rose by just one, so these are closures rather than a reclassification. The JPML report gives no reason, but court filings point to settled, inactive cases being closed out rather than a court ruling: co-lead counsel told the court in July that only about 184 MDL cases were being actively litigated, and Monsanto has been filing stipulated dismissals and moving to clear the inactive docket. No court has dismissed Roundup cases en masse under the Supreme Court's June 25, 2026 Monsanto v. Durnell decision. Zostavax (MDL-2848) reached zero pending (from 101), Elmiron (MDL-2973) fell by 100 to 186, and Taxotere (MDL-2740, −61) and Paraquat (MDL-3004, −64) also declined. The federal MDL system remains highly concentrated: the top 5 dockets account for 64.3% of all pending actions and the top 25 for 96.0%.
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Largest Active MDLs
Top 25 = 96% of all cases| # | MDL | Litigation | District | Pending | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDL-2738 | Johnson & Johnson Talcum Powder | NJ | 69,340 | +90 |
| 2 | MDL-2846 | Bard Polypropylene Hernia Mesh | OHS | 23,324 | +8 |
| 3 | MDL-2873 | AFFF Firefighting Foam | SC | 15,264 | 0 |
| 4 | MDL-3060 | Hair Relaxer Products | ILN | 12,381 | +252 |
| 5 | MDL-2789 | Proton-Pump Inhibitor (No. II) | NJ | 11,404 | 0 |
| 6 | MDL-2666 | Bair Hugger Warming Devices | MN | 8,424 | -9 |
| 7 | MDL-3004 | Paraquat Herbicide | ILS | 6,602 | -64 |
| 8 | MDL-2570 | Cook Medical IVC Filters | INS | 6,470 | -31 |
| 9 | MDL-3140 | Depo-Provera | FLN | 6,412 | +9 |
| 10 | MDL-3084 | Uber Sexual Assault | CAN | 4,916 | +328 |
| 11 | MDL-2974 | Paragard IUD | GAN | 4,224 | +39 |
| 12 | MDL-3081 | Bard PowerPort Catheter | AZ | 4,140 | +406 |
| 13 | MDL-3094 | GLP-1/Ozempic | PAE | 4,025 | +3 |
| 14 | MDL-3047 | Social Media Adolescent Addiction | CAN | 3,824 | +616 |
| 15 | MDL-2804 | National Prescription Opiates | OHN | 2,877 | -30 |
| 16 | MDL-3029 | Covidien Hernia Mesh | MA | 2,479 | +26 |
| 17 | MDL-3092 | Suboxone Film | OHN | 2,022 | +195 |
| 18 | MDL-3044 | Exactech Orthopedic | NYE | 1,838 | 0 |
| 19 | MDL-2875 | Valsartan Blood Pressure | NJ | 1,426 | +14 |
| 20 | MDL-2921 | Allergan Breast Implant | NJ | 1,370 | 0 |
| 21 | MDL-2741 | Roundup Weedkiller | CAN | 1,104 | -2,821 |
| 22 | MDL-2924 | Zantac/Ranitidine | FLS | 847 | 0 |
| 23 | MDL-3026 | Preterm Infant Formula/NEC | ILN | 844 | -3 |
| 24 | MDL-3014 | Philips CPAP/Ventilator Recall | PAW | 623 | -1 |
| 25 | MDL-2243 | Fosamax | NJ | 559 | -3 |
Docket Changes in October 2026
The active docket count fell by four to 162 in October 2026: no new MDLs were centralized and four closed. All four appear on the JPML's list of litigations closed in September 2026; see the 2026 terminated MDL archive for how each ended.
Newly Centralized
None this month. No MDL number appears in the October report that was absent from September.
Terminated
- MDL-3134 — AVYCAZ (Ceftazidime and Avibactam) Patent Litigation · D.N.J., Judge Zahid N. Quraishi · closed September 2, 2026 (1 pending in September)
- MDL-2358 — Google Inc. Cookie Placement Consumer Privacy Litigation · D. Del., Judge Joshua D. Wolson · closed September 3, 2026 (26 pending in September)
- MDL-2775 — Smith & Nephew Birmingham Hip Resurfacing (BHR) Hip Implant Litigation · D. Md., Judge James K. Bredar · closed September 28, 2026 (0 pending all year)
- MDL-2938 — Evenflo Company, Inc., Marketing, Sales Practices and Products Liability Litigation · D. Mass., Judge Denise J. Casper · closed September 30, 2026 (28 pending in September)
Zero-pending watch: Zostavax (MDL-2848) and Crop Protection Products Loyalty Program Antitrust (MDL-3062) both fell to zero pending this month and may drop off a future report.
Fastest Growing Litigation
Key Trend: Growth this month came from personal-injury dockets still in active filing phases rather than the largest MDLs. Social Media (MDL-3047, +616), Bard PowerPort (MDL-3081, +406), and Uber (MDL-3084, +328) together added 1,350 cases, more than the rest of the top ten combined. The ten fastest-growing MDLs added 2,047 cases in all, while Depo-Provera (MDL-3140) slowed to +9 after its June 15 global settlement in principle.
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MDLs with Case Reductions
Roundup Weedkiller
Zostavax Shingles Vaccine
Elmiron
Paraquat Herbicide
Taxotere Chemotherapy
Cook Medical IVC Filters
MDL Distribution by Litigation Type
| Category | MDLs | Pending | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Products | 9 | 90,997 | 44.4% |
| Medical Device | 23 | 53,871 | 26.3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 22 | 31,292 | 15.3% |
| Agricultural/Environmental | 5 | 22,981 | 11.2% |
| Other / Sales Practices | 42 | 3,733 | 1.8% |
| Data Breach/Privacy | 20 | 1,083 | 0.5% |
| Antitrust | 41 | 1,020 | 0.5% |
MDL Distribution by Federal District
| # | District | Full Name | MDLs | Pending | % Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NJ | District of New Jersey | 12 | 84,916 | 41.4% |
| 2 | OHS | Southern District of Ohio | 2 | 23,331 | 11.4% |
| 3 | SC | District of South Carolina | 2 | 15,290 | 7.5% |
| 4 | ILN | Northern District of Illinois | 12 | 14,384 | 7% |
| 5 | CAN | Northern District of California | 19 | 11,372 | 5.5% |
| 6 | MN | District of Minnesota | 9 | 8,823 | 4.3% |
| 7 | ILS | Southern District of Illinois | 1 | 6,602 | 3.2% |
| 8 | INS | Southern District of Indiana | 1 | 6,470 | 3.2% |
| 9 | FLN | Northern District of Florida | 2 | 6,414 | 3.1% |
| 10 | OHN | Northern District of Ohio | 3 | 5,013 | 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 (69,340 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
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Avandia
Ethicon Physiomesh
Zostavax Shingles Vaccine
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: October 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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