Litigation Overview

Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) No. 3171 was established to coordinate federal lawsuits filed by passengers who allege they suffered sexual assault or harassment due to Lyft’s failure to implement adequate safety measures. The Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) determined that centralizing these cases would eliminate duplicative discovery and conserve the resources of the parties and the judiciary.

Core Case Information

• MDL Number: 3171
• Litigation Title: IN RE: Lyft, Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation
• Status: Transferred / Active
• Transferee Judge: Hon. Rita F. Lin
• Transferee District: Northern District of California (CAN)
• Master Docket: [3:26-md-3171]
  
  

JPML Official Document Library

This library contains high-level jurisdictional orders issued by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

• 02/05/2026: JPML Order 3171 In re: Lyft Passenger Sexual Assault [Transfer Order] The foundational order officially centralizing 17 actions from 10 different districts into the Northern District of California.

Note for Future Additions: As new Conditional Transfer Orders (CTOs) or Amended Orders are issued, they will be added to the top of this list in reverse-chronological order.

Key Findings of the Panel

In granting the transfer to the Northern District of California, the Panel identified several common factual questions that justify centralization:

• Whether Lyft had knowledge of the prevalence of sexual assault by its drivers.
• Whether Lyft failed to adequately conduct background checks or train drivers regarding harassment.
• Whether safety measures (such as audio/video surveillance) could have been implemented to protect passengers.
• Representations made by Lyft regarding passenger safety.

NGRV Leadership & Expertise

Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn (NGRV) is actively investigating claims on behalf of survivors of rideshare sexual assault. Our firm monitors these JPML proceedings closely to ensure our clients’ cases are correctly positioned within the national litigation framework.