The federal judge overseeing the massive multidistrict litigation over 3M's Combat Arms Earplugs ordered the parties on Friday to begin mediation next month and attempt to reach a good faith settlement before district courts are "flooded" with cases from the MDL.
District Judge M. Casey Rodgers of the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, ordered the dismissals as roughly 270,000 similar cases are still pending. The group of lawsuits against earplug manufacturer 3M has become the largest multidistrict litigation in U.S. history, according to court records.
A Florida federal judge on Wednesday shut down 3M's bid for an order to make more than 180,000 plaintiffs immediately pay filing fees in sprawling multidistrict litigation over the company's Combat Arms Earplugs, saying the fees were never waived and there is no feasible way to accelerate payments as 3M requested.