State attorneys general with pending lawsuits against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and its owners are asking a federal bankruptcy judge to give them more time to continue negotiating.
A temporary freeze on their lawsuits expires this week. On Wednesday, the judge is to decide whether to halt them or issue another temporary stay that could last for months.
In a filing earlier this week, about two dozen attorneys general said they are making progress in their talks with Purdue over the nation’s opioid crisis and want a six-week extension.
The states, along with the District of Columbia, opposed a tentative settlement the company reached in September with two dozen other states and many of the local governments suing it. Purdue filed for bankruptcy protection as part of that deal.