What Is Multidistrict Litigation (MDL)?

Multidistrict litigation (MDL) is a federal procedure that transfers civil cases sharing common facts to one district court for coordinated pretrial proceedings.

Why Courts Create MDLs

When hundreds or thousands of people file similar lawsuits — often against the same defendant over the same product — consolidating them prevents inconsistent rulings and duplicate discovery.

What Happens in an MDL

- **Transfer**: Cases from across the country move to one MDL court. - **Discovery**: Shared evidence gathering benefits all plaintiffs. - **Bellwether trials**: Sample trials help parties value remaining claims. - **Settlement**: Global settlements may resolve large groups of claims.

Your Individual Claim

MDL does not eliminate your individual case. Your injuries, damages, and settlement remain personal to your claim.