Judge Orders Medical Records Discovery for All MDL Cases

CLEVELAND - The judge presiding over the federal welding products multi-district litigation has made all remaining MDL cases subject to medical records discovery, saying that use of the procedure on a limited basis has, thus far, winnowed the number of pending cases from several thousand to 1,700. In re: Welding Fume Products Liability Litigation, No. 1:03-CV-17000 [MDL Docket No. 1535]).

Judge Kathleen M. O'Malley of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio said in her May 4 Order that the parties agree that the process has also helped to move trial-certified cases into a more trial-ready status.