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Uber Technologies Inc. has filed a court motion seeking to postpone the first federal bellwether trial in the massive sexual assault multidistrict litigation (MDL) currently centralized in the Northern District of California.
The trial, now scheduled to begin on January 13, 2026, is intended to serve as a test of key legal issues that could shape outcomes for thousands of similar cases nationwide.
In its motion, Uber told U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer that a legal group’s public advertising campaign, which includes claims that Uber receives a report of sexual assault or sexual misconduct every eight minutes, is “misleading” and threatens to taint the jury pool in the upcoming bellwether case. The company wants the court to postpone trial dates until the advertising campaign ceases or can be restrained in jurisdictions where early trials will take place. Uber also seeks to subpoena the organization behind the campaign to better understand its scope.
The ads in question reference numbers drawn from investigative reporting that showed a high volume of sexual assault and misconduct reports on Uber’s platform over multiple years. Plaintiffs in the MDL have relied in part on those findings to emphasize patterns of alleged negligence in safety practices and background screening.
Preparations for the January bellwether are otherwise underway. The parties have proposed juror questionnaires, and the court has set strict time limits for each side’s presentation during the multi-day trial, including opening statements, witness testimony, and closing arguments. Meanwhile, several dozen cases in the MDL have been dismissed for procedural reasons, including failures to provide timely plaintiff fact sheets.
Background on the Uber Sexual Assault MDL
The Uber sexual assault lawsuit was consolidated as In re: Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation (MDL No. 3084) in the Northern District of California. Plaintiffs across the United States allege that Uber failed to implement adequate driver background checks and safety measures that could have prevented assaults and misconduct by drivers. More than 2,800 federal claims are consolidated in the MDL, and bellwether trials (representative test cases) are being used to assess how juries respond to evidence before hundreds of additional cases proceed.
The outcome of these early trials is expected to influence settlement talks, legal strategy, and timelines for survivors seeking justice and compensation. Because MDL cases remain active and court filings continue to evolve, both sides are also engaged in other pretrial disputes over expert testimony, evidence, and disclosure obligations.
Have You Been Harmed By An Uber Driver?
To understand your rights and the growing federal litigation against Uber over sexual assault allegations, visit our Uber lawsuit guide. If you’re ready to explore your legal options, you can request a free case review by filling out the confidential and secure form below.
