Multidistrict litigation is a legal procedure in United States federal courts in which lawsuits involving similar issues (common issues of fact) are consolidated in one court (called the MDL court) for the purpose of convenience and efficiency in pretrial matters, such as discovery. These lawsuits are generally returned to their original federal district courts for trial. Claims that are often the subject of multidistrict litigation are product liability claims against pharmaceutical companies, securities fraud cases, and airplane crashes.

In Oklahoma, as in other states, multidistrict litigation (MDL) is a federal legal procedure that consolidates multiple lawsuits involving common factual issues to improve the efficiency of the legal process. This consolidation occurs for pretrial proceedings, which include discovery and other pretrial motions. MDL aims to reduce the burden on the court system, avoid conflicting rulings, and conserve the resources of the parties involved. While the MDL process centralizes cases for pretrial matters, the individual lawsuits are typically sent back to their original federal district courts for the actual trial. Cases that are commonly subject to MDL include those related to product liability, particularly against pharmaceutical companies, securities fraud, and major accidents such as airplane crashes. It's important to note that MDL is a federal procedure and does not apply to cases that are solely within the purview of Oklahoma state courts unless they are part of a federal question or involve parties from different states where federal jurisdiction can be established.