Texas High Court Appoints Judge Peeples to Oversee MDL Docket for Opioid Lawsuits

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court has appointed Judge David Peeples of the Bexar County District Court to oversee a multidistrict litigation docket for lawsuits filed by 18 Texas counties alleging they were damaged by improper marketing and distribution of prescription opioids.

In a June 18 opinion, the state high court granted a request by the manufacturer and distributor defendants to consolidate the 16 cases pending against them, as well as any future-filed tag-along cases. The actions “involve a common nucleus of facts” and that transfer to a single pretrial judge would “serve the convenience of the parties and …