A schedule has already been set for the eleventh trial in the spring of 2025, with additional trial dates scheduled for the fall of 2025 and January 2026. Judge Rogers also instructed the parties to submit plans for consolidating the cases of plaintiffs whose trials need to be retried due to appellate rulings or previous mistrials.
Additionally, Judge Rogers ordered that the plaintiffs disclose a list of specific conditions they attribute to PCB exposure, and Monsanto must reveal any alternative causes it intends to argue. The judge also suggested the creation of a glossary of terms for the jury, a proposal made by Monsanto. Despite requests from the defense to limit the scope of the trials to “core” injuries, Judge Rogers maintained that the current legal procedures are sufficient for handling such challenges.
A spokesperson for Monsanto expressed disappointment with the ruling, arguing that consolidating cases with up to 25 plaintiffs and dozens of health claims would complicate the determination of individual causation issues and violate the company’s due process rights. Monsanto also suggested postponing further trials until the state Supreme Court issues a ruling in the Erickson case, which could impact key legal issues in the litigation.
