The number of new federal lawsuits dropped by 14% in fiscal year 2024, a direct result of the reduction in mass tort litigation, particularly following 3M’s historic $6 billion settlement over its combat earplugs.
According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, this sharp decrease contributed to an overall 11% decline in both criminal and civil filings for the year ending September 30.
The decline in mass tort cases, including those related to 3M’s earplugs, was the primary factor in the reduction of personal injury lawsuits.
The 3M settlement, which addressed nearly 260,000 lawsuits from current and former military service members who alleged hearing loss due to defective earplugs, had a significant impact.
Following the settlement, the Northern District of Florida, which had consolidated the 3M cases, experienced a 50% decrease in new personal injury cases.
New Jersey’s federal court, which oversees the Johnson & Johnson talcum powder litigation, saw a remarkable 65% drop in cases, reflecting the broader trend in mass torts. Johnson & Johnson, currently seeking a $10 billion bankruptcy settlement plan through a subsidiary to resolve thousands of lawsuits claiming their baby powder caused ovarian cancer, maintains that its products are safe.
While mass tort cases were down, criminal filings saw an uptick of 6%, driven by a 30% increase in immigration-related cases. These cases accounted for 37% of all criminal filings, helping to offset an 8% drop in drug-related charges.
Despite the decline in civil lawsuits overall, filings in other civil cases, excluding mass torts, held steady with a minimal drop of less than 1%.
The 2024 shift marks a sharp contrast to the previous year, when a surge in lawsuits related to 3M’s earplugs and J&J’s talc products led to a 24% increase in new federal cases.
In addition to 3M, the Northern District of Illinois experienced a 69% decline in product liability lawsuits, primarily due to a decrease in multidistrict litigation over hair relaxer products allegedly linked to cancer. Companies such as L’Oreal and Revlon deny any wrongdoing in the matter.
As 3M’s settlement and other high-profile mass tort cases conclude, the federal court system may see ongoing shifts in the types of litigation being filed, with fewer large-scale, multidistrict cases dominating the docket.
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