A New York judge presiding over the state courts’ multicounty opioid litigation in Suffolk County brought on behalf of a coalition of New York counties, which is being closely watched by courts in other jurisdictions around the country, has refused to toss claims against drug distributors.

The ruling, by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Jerry Garguilo, to deny motions to dismiss by pharmaceutical drug distributors named as defendants in the case comes one month after he refused to dismiss suits against a group of drug manufacturers.