In New Twist, W.Va. Judges Suddenly At Odds In Opioid Suits

Law360 (July 25, 2025, 11:47 PM EDT) — A new ruling in West Virginia opioid crisis litigation is revealing
sharp divisions among the Mountain State’s federal judges regarding a pivotal legal theory, potentially
boosting a Fourth Circuit appeal by beleaguered municipalities aiming to erase a landmark win for drug
distributors.

Wednesday’s ruling by U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey preserved a suit accusing divisions of Cigna
Healthcare and UnitedHealth Group Inc. of exacerbating rampant narcotic abuse, and it did so by breaking
with U.S. District Judge David A. Faber, who in 2022 authored a bombshell opinion favoring drug
wholesalers after the first opioid trial in federal court. Read the full story.