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 Tennessee, as in other states, multidistrict litigation (MDL) is a federal legal procedure that consolidates multiple lawsuits involving common factual issues to improve efficiency and convenience during pretrial proceedings. This process is governed by federal law, specifically 28 U.S.C. § 1407, which allows for civil actions in different districts with one or more common questions of fact to be transferred to any district for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings. These cases are typically complex and can include product liability claims, securities fraud, and airplane crashes. While the MDL process centralizes the pretrial activities, such as discovery and motions, the individual cases are usually sent back to their original federal district courts for the actual trial. It's important to note that MDL is distinct from class action lawsuits and is managed by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation, which decides whether cases should be consolidated under MDL and where the MDL court will be located.