FEDERAL COURT – More than 560 lawsuits are pending against Monsanto Co. in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, filed by people alleging that exposure to Roundup herbicide caused them or their loved ones to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and that Monsanto covered up the risks. The cases have been combined for handling as multidistrict litigation (MDL) under Judge Vince Chhabria. The lead case is 3:16-md-02741-VC. The first trial in the federal court is set for Feb. 25, 2019. See pretrial order and documents below.
As part of the discovery process, Monsanto has had to turn over over millions of pages of its internal records and communications. These “Monsanto Papers” are contained within the records below.
STATE LITIGATION: An estimated 8,000 other plaintiffs have made similar claims against Monsanto in state courts. The first trial in the Roundup litigation started June 18, 2018 in the Superior Court for the County of San Francisco. The trial concluded on Aug. 10 with the jury ordering Monsanto to pay $289.25 million in damages, including $250 million in punitive damages. Documents pertaining to that case as well as others are also included below in the middle column.
In finding against Monsanto, the jury ruled that Monsanto’s weedkiller was a substantial contributing factor in causing DeWayne “Lee” Johnson’s cancer. Monsanto is appealing the decision.
* Additional cases are set for trial in 2019. Many are filed in St. Louis, Missouri. The next case currently set for trial is RONALD PETERSON and JEFF HALL V. Monsanto. The trial date is Feb. 5, 2019.
* Plaintiffs in a case in Montana are seeking an expedited trial. The case is Cazier v. Monsanto. Montana Eighteenth Judicial District Court Gallatin County Cause No. DV 17-883C
* An additional case of interest is Pilliod V. Monsanto filed in Alameda County Superior Court in California. The plaintiffs are married and both have non-Hodgkin lymphoma. They are seeking a trial date this December.
* Link to video of the reading of the verdict in San Francisco. Monsanto declared it would appeal. Bayer AG completed its acquisition of Monsanto in June 2018. A transcript of the remarks of Bayer officials regarding the Johnson verdict is here.