First Paragard IUD Lawsuit Set for Jury Trial To Begin Jan. 20, 2026

Case involves injuries to a Florida woman when her Paragard IUD broke during an attempted removal, raising allegations similar to those presented in thousands of other lawsuits against the birth control implant makers

A jury will be seated next month for the first of three scheduled bellwether trials in the federal court system, which will test allegations raised by thousands of women that claim the Paragard intrauterine device (IUD) was defectively designed, leading to injuries and complications during attempts to remove the popular birth control implant.

Paragard is a copper-based IUD intended to provide long-acting birth control by preventing pregnancy for up to 10 years. However, thousands of women have filed Paragard IUD lawsuits after the device fractured during routine removal procedures.

Although the implant has been marketed as a safe and reversible form of long-term birth control, lawsuits allege the Paragard IUD is prone to breaking under the stress of removal, leaving pieces of the device embedded in the uterus. Plaintiffs say these fractures can require invasive surgical procedures to retrieve the fragments and may result in pain, bleeding, fertility complications or other long-term injuries.

With more than 3,700 Paragard lawsuits filed in federal courts nationwide raising common questions of fact and law, the cases have consolidated into a multidistrict litigation in the Northern District of Georgia, where U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May is presiding over coordinated discovery and preparing a group of claims for early bellwether trials over the next years.

Earlier in the litigation, Judge May directed the parties to focus on preparing a small group of representative cases for early trial dates, to help them gauge how juries are likely to react to certain evidence and expert witness testimony that will be repeated throughout the litigation.

A series of three Paragard IUD bellwether trials were announced last February, following several delays, with the first originally scheduled to involve claims by Melody Braxton, of Florida. However, this summer Judge May issued an order (PDF) rearranging the sequence.

The judge determined that the first case to go to trial will be a claim filed by Pauline Rickard, followed by a trial over claims filed by Alisa Robere, with Braxton’s proceedings now scheduled to be third.

Rickard filed her lawsuit in September 2021, indicating she suffered significant pain and suffering and medical complications as doctors sought to remove a broken Paragard IUD from her body. She indicates the incident led to a loss of reproductive health, permanent impairment and disfigurement, as well as mental anguish.

Following a hearing on December 17, Judge May announced that the trial will begin on January 20, 2026, according to minutes (PDF) published that day. Leading up to the trial, the parties will meet for pre-trial conferences on January 5 and January 14.

Judge May requested parties take the intervening weeks to iron out several remaining details, such as whether additional pretrial conferences will be needed, a joint summary of the trial, and the time required for opening statements.

Although the outcome of the Paragard bellwether trials will not have any binding impact on these other claimants, the cases are expected to have a large influence on any negotiations for a potential global Paragard IUD settlement that would avoid the need for each individual case to be remanded back to U.S. District Courts nationwide for individual trial dates in the coming years.