Bellwether Trial Sets the Tone
This proceeding marks the first of three bellwether trials in Los Angeles Superior Court for coordinated cases claiming Johnson’s Baby Powder and Shower to Shower products caused ovarian cancer. The suits are among tens of thousands pending nationwide.
A previous Los Angeles trial ended in a stunning $417 million verdict in 2017, only to be reversed by the judge.
J&J’s Failed Bankruptcy Gambit
For years, J&J attempted to funnel the litigation into a “Texas two-step” bankruptcy strategy. But courts rejected three separate attempts, most recently in March, when a Texas judge dismissed a proposed $9 billion Chapter 11 settlement over voting irregularities and concerns about sweeping third-party releases.
Following the collapse of its bankruptcy efforts, the company returned to courtroom litigation, allowing Los Angeles cases to move toward trial.
In October, a jury in the same jurisdiction hit J&J with a $966 million verdict tied to an 88-year-old woman’s mesothelioma death.
