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Judge grants Purdue Pharma, Sackler family pause in civil lawsuits

The reprieve will last only three weeks to give the parties time to seek more financial information from the family.

By
October 11, 2019 at 10:51 p.m. EDT
People leave U.S. District Court after Purdue Pharma's first hearing since filing for bankruptcy in White Plains, N.Y., on Sept. 17. (Seth Wenig/AP)

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A U.S. bankruptcy judge on Friday temporarily halted scores of lawsuits against Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family.

Extending that relief to the Sacklers, who haven’t filed for bankruptcy protection, is “extraordinary” but appropriate in this case, Judge Robert Drain said from the bench. Drain’s ruling stays action for three weeks in state and federal lawsuits against the Sackler family members, who own the company, as well as Purdue Pharma and related companies.