BHR Hip MDL Judge Addresses Smith & Nephew’s Motion to Limit Scope of Discovery

BALTIMORE — A Maryland federal judge has addressed Smith & Nephew Inc.’s motion to limit the scope and conduct of discovery in the BHR Hip MDL, ruling that any discovery request that is not targeted at the plaintiffs’ surviving claims, or related to S&N’s possible defenses, is irrelevant.

In the June 20 order, Judge Catherine Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland did grant S&N’s motion for a protective order as to plaintiffs’ Rule 30(b)(6) topics, ruling that interrogatory requests would be less burdensome.

In a May 21 motion, S&N challenged several categories of plaintiffs’ discovery …