Cleveland County Judge Thad Balkman has denied two pharmaceutical companies’ motions for summary judgement in the state lawsuit against them for Oklahoma’s opioid epidemic. Johnson & Johnson and Teva Pharmaceuticals filed the motions for the case to be thrown out.
It means the trial is still scheduled to proceed on May 28, 2019.
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter is spearheading the lawsuit.
“Last week, we heard more arguments and excuses by the defendants as to why this case should not be heard,” Hunter said. “The Oklahoma Supreme Court and now, on multiple occasions, Judge Balkman, has said this case should proceed to trial. These rulings were made based on the rule of law and the merits of our case.”
