Jury sides with Monsanto in first Roundup trial since Supreme Court ruling

ST. LOUIS — A Missouri jury has returned a unanimous verdict for Monsanto in the first Roundup weed killer trial since the U.S. Supreme Court limited a major legal theory used against the company, Monsanto announced.

The jury found for the company in Theresa Aretino, et al. v. Monsanto Co., a case with three plaintiffs, on claims of design defect, fraud, and negligence, according to Monsanto. The release does not say which court heard the case, how long the trial lasted, or what injuries the plaintiffs alleged.

In June, the Supreme Court ruled in Monsanto v. Durnell that a federal pesticide law bars state-law claims based on failure to warn when the Environmental Protection Agency has made a definitive determination on product safety, the company said. Failure-to-warn claims had been central to the Roundup litigation. With those claims no longer available, the plaintiffs pursued the other theories at trial. Monsanto said the verdict is the first time a court has tested the strength of evidence for design defect and negligence claims since the ruling.

“We are pleased with the jury’s favorable verdict for Monsanto validating our belief that there is no evidence to prove design defect, fraud or negligence claims in the Roundup litigation,” said Bill Dodero, the company’s U.S. general counsel and global head of litigation. He said the verdict should signal that plaintiffs who pursue claims after the ruling will face significant challenges.

The company said scientific evidence and regulators worldwide support the safety of glyphosate-based herbicides when used as directed. It said the EPA has repeatedly determined that glyphosate is not likely to be carcinogenic and has approved Roundup labels without cancer warnings. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup.

Monsanto said it will continue to defend its products in remaining litigation.