Defendants Urge 6th Cir. to Disqualify Opioid MDL Judge for Partiality

CLEVELAND — Drug distributors have asked a federal appellate court to disqualify the Ohio federal judge overseeing the opioid multidistrict litigation, arguing that his statements concerning a personal objective to abate the opioid crisis via settlements is evidence of partiality.

In an Oct. 1 brief filed in the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, the defendants also claim that Judge Dan Polster of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio made “numerous improper comments to the media and in public forums about the litigation” and has been heavily involved in settlement discussions.

The first bellwether MDL …