Columbus, OH — March 10, 2026 — A federal judge overseeing the litigation involving sexual abuse by former Ohio State University physician Dr. Richard Strauss has rejected several procedural requests by the university and established a path toward trial for survivor claims.
In an order issued March 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson denied Ohio State’s attempt to pursue certain early motions that could have delayed the progress of the case. The court declined to authorize independent medical examinations of twenty designated “Discovery Plaintiffs” at this time, explaining that the issue should be addressed only after the court determines the scope of damages that may be available in the case.
Read the Order here
The court also denied Ohio State’s request for permission to file a motion to dismiss claims based on sovereign immunity. The judge ruled that the university may renew that request only after the court determines the scope of damages and after the parties continue good-faith mediation efforts.
In addition, the court rejected the university’s request to file broad summary judgment motions at this stage of the litigation. Instead, statute-of-limitations arguments will be considered only in connection with specific plaintiffs selected for upcoming bellwether trials.
The ruling also establishes a schedule that moves the case toward trial. Each side must identify ten “Discovery Plaintiffs” and rank them in the order they believe the cases should proceed to trial. Those submissions are due April 1, 2026. After reviewing the parties’ selections, the court will establish priority lists that determine the order of bellwether trials. The first round of bellwether trials is scheduled to begin in October 2026. Four trials—two selected by plaintiffs and two selected by Ohio State—will proceed simultaneously before different federal judges in the Southern District of Ohio. The court indicated that the process will continue in successive rounds until all twenty bellwether cases are tried.
After those trials are completed, the court plans to proceed with trials in additional cases at a rate of no fewer than forty cases per year until the remaining claims are resolved. The lawsuits arise from decades of alleged sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, who worked as a physician and athletic department doctor at Ohio State from 1978 to 1998. Hundreds of former students and athletes have alleged that Strauss sexually abused them during medical examinations and that university officials were aware of misconduct but failed to take appropriate action.
May17, 2019: A Message from President Drake: Strauss Investigation Report
Sports Illustrated: Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal?
Sauder Schelkopf has been at the forefront of this litigation since 2018. It is alleged that the university officials had knowledge of Strauss’ misconduct dating back to 1979 and failed to take appropriate action. A 2019 independent investigation commissioned by OSU concluded that Strauss abused at least 177 male students between 1978 and 1998 and that complaints were never elevated beyond the athletic and student health departments. Sauder Schelkopf continues to represent a group of survivors seeking accountability and institutional reform.
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