Missouri Court Grants Preliminary Approval for Roundup™ Class Settlement to Address Current and Future Claims
A judge in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis, Missouri has granted preliminary approval for a proposed class action settlement aimed at resolving current and potential future claims related to Roundup™ products. The claims involved in the settlement allege that exposure to Roundup™ caused individuals to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). The motion requesting preliminary approval was filed by leading plaintiff law firms representing members of the proposed class.
The court’s decision marks an important early milestone in the legal process surrounding the settlement. Preliminary approval indicates that the judge believes the proposed agreement is sufficiently fair and reasonable to move forward to the next stage, where potential class members will be notified and given an opportunity to participate, object, or opt out.
Bill Dodero, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Bayer, welcomed the development and emphasized that the decision represents a meaningful step toward resolving long-running litigation involving Roundup™. According to Dodero, the proposed settlement framework is designed to provide a structured path for addressing both current claims and future allegations involving non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“We are pleased the Court granted preliminary approval of the class settlement, which is designed to resolve current and potential future Roundup claims relating to NHL,” Dodero said. “This is the first major step in putting this settlement into effect, and we remain confident that the long-term and well-financed class settlement plan, which is supported by leading plaintiffs’ law firms, warrants final approval by the court.”
Following the court’s preliminary approval, the settlement now enters the notification phase. During this stage, individuals who may qualify as members of the proposed class will be formally notified about the settlement terms and their legal rights. The court has set a 90-day window during which potential class members can review the settlement details and decide whether to remain in the class, opt out, or raise objections.
This 90-day period will conclude on June 4. During that time, individuals who believe they may be affected by the settlement will have the opportunity to examine the agreement and determine whether they wish to participate in it. Those who opt out will retain the ability to pursue their own lawsuits independently.
Once the notification and review period concludes, the court will move to the next key stage in the process. A fairness hearing has been scheduled for July 9. During this hearing, the judge will evaluate the settlement in greater detail to determine whether it should receive final approval. The court will consider factors such as the fairness of the compensation structure, the interests of class members, and the overall legal adequacy of the agreement.
If the court ultimately grants final approval, the settlement could resolve a significant number of claims related to Roundup™ and alleged NHL injuries. However, the decision could still be subject to appeals, which is a common step in large class action cases.
In the meantime, the court has ordered a pause on lawsuits filed in Missouri by individuals who fall within the proposed settlement class. These cases will remain stayed, meaning temporarily halted, until the court reaches a final judgment on the settlement. The only exception applies to individuals who choose to opt out of the class, who will be allowed to continue pursuing their claims separately.
The proposed settlement comes at a time when broader legal developments are also shaping the Roundup™ litigation landscape. Notably, the settlement follows a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Durnell case, which raises a key legal issue central to many Roundup™ lawsuits.
At the heart of the Durnell case is the question of whether certain state-law failure-to-warn claims are preempted by federal law governing pesticide labeling. This issue has played a significant role in the ongoing legal disputes surrounding Roundup™ and could influence how similar claims are handled in courts across the United States.
Importantly, the Supreme Court’s review of the Durnell case is separate from the proposed settlement and will continue regardless of the settlement’s outcome. However, legal experts note that the expected Supreme Court review helped create conditions that made the settlement negotiations possible.
The Durnell case is also expected to have broader implications beyond the settlement itself. According to Bayer, the Supreme Court’s decision could affect several outstanding damage awards that are currently under appeal and are not included in the proposed class settlement.
In addition, the company has argued that regulatory clarity from the Court is important for the future of agricultural innovation. Bayer has stated that ongoing legal uncertainty surrounding pesticide labeling and liability could potentially impact the development and availability of agricultural products used by farmers.
Dodero emphasized that both the proposed class settlement and the Supreme Court’s review represent key elements of the company’s broader strategy to address the complex and long-running litigation involving Roundup™.
“The proposed class, combined with Supreme Court review in Durnell, are independently necessary and mutually reinforcing steps in the company’s multipronged strategy to significantly contain the Roundup™ litigation,” Dodero said.
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