CLEVELAND — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is seeking to halt a federal opioid litigation case currently underway in a federal courtroom in Cleveland.
Yost filed a 285-page petition seeking the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit to "halt or delay" the October trial against 20 major drug companies until the state's complaint goes to trial.
"The rest of Ohio--and Ohio itself--is being left behind in the multi-district litigation lawsuit in Cleveland," argues Yost.
The national litigation currently underway in the U.S District Court for Northern Ohio involves lawsuits brought by Cuyahoga and Summit counties alleging the drug companies knew of the dangers of opioids and continued to push the drugs.
Currently, an effort is underway to bring a settlement in the federal case and ultimately divide billions of dollars among communities hard hit by the opioid crisis to help pay for the health, social and economic cost of the opioid crisis.
The trial remains set for October, but Yost's action is seeking to stop any further developments arguing that "any money should come in a single action by the state on behalf of all its people."
Both Cuyahoga and Summit counties have issued strong statements opposing Yost's efforts to stop proceedings.
