U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer has denied Uber Technologies Inc.’s request to postpone the upcoming bellwether trial in the sexual assault multidistrict litigation (MDL). The trial, involving plaintiff Jaylynn Dean, is scheduled to commence on January 13, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. Dean alleges she was raped by her Uber driver in Tempe, Arizona, in 2023. ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/tech-and-telecom-law/uber-fails-to-delay-sexual-assault-trial-or-block-ad-campaign?utm_source=openai))
Uber sought the delay citing concerns over a recent advertising campaign by the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC). The campaign, titled “Every 8 Minutes,” claims that Uber receives a report of sexual assault or misconduct at that interval. Uber argued that these advertisements could prejudice potential jurors and requested expanded voir dire procedures, including a juror questionnaire addressing the ads. Additionally, the company sought to subpoena the CAOC regarding the campaign. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2025.12.15-222745/https%3A/www.law.com/therecorder/2025/12/15/uber-pushes-to-postpone-next-months-sexual-assault-trial-after-misleading-ad-campaign/?utm_source=openai))
Judge Breyer’s order did not provide an explanation for the denial of Uber’s motion. This decision maintains the trial schedule for the first federal bellwether case among nearly 3,000 similar lawsuits consolidated under the MDL. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to influence the direction of subsequent cases within the litigation. ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/tech-and-telecom-law/uber-fails-to-delay-sexual-assault-trial-or-block-ad-campaign?utm_source=openai))
In response to the ruling, Deepak Gupta of Gupta Wessler LLP, representing the CAOC, stated, “The First Amendment does not bend to corporate pressure, and the court rightly refused to let Uber use the legal system to silence its critics.” ([news.bloomberglaw.com](https://news.bloomberglaw.com/tech-and-telecom-law/uber-fails-to-delay-sexual-assault-trial-or-block-ad-campaign?utm_source=openai))
This trial follows a previous state court bellwether trial in San Francisco Superior Court, which concluded in September with a defense verdict for Uber. In that case, the jury found Uber negligent in failing to provide safe rides but determined the company’s conduct was not a substantial factor in causing the plaintiff’s harm. ([archive.vn](https://archive.vn/2025.12.15-222745/https%3A/www.law.com/therecorder/2025/12/15/uber-pushes-to-postpone-next-months-sexual-assault-trial-after-misleading-ad-campaign/?utm_source=openai))
The MDL, overseen by Judge Breyer, encompasses numerous claims alleging that Uber failed to implement adequate safety measures to prevent sexual assaults by its drivers. The forthcoming trial is expected to provide critical insights into the viability of these claims and potentially shape future litigation strategies.