SAYING that the terms of the settlement agreement had been satisfied, Dr. John Doyle, through his attorney Steven Pixley, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Wessling on Wednesday filed a joint stipulation requesting the federal court to dismiss the civil case with prejudice.
Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona dismissed the case with prejudice on the same day. “Each party shall bear its own costs and fees, including attorneys’ fees,” she said as she directed the clerk to close the case.
“All dates and deadlines are hereby vacated,” the judge added.
No other information about the settlement agreement was available as of press time Wednesday evening.
The federal government accused Doyle of dispensing opioids and controlled substances 73 times. Federal prosecutors had sought judgment from the District Court for the NMI to require the physician to pay civil penalties in the amount of $4.9 million.
The U.S. government initiated the civil case on March 5, 2021.
Doyle denied the allegation and said that he had not violated the Controlled Substances Act. He also demanded a jury trial.
At all times relevant to the complaint, Doyle said, the prescriptions in question were issued pursuant to a bona fide physician-patient relationship in the usual course of practice with a good faith belief that the prescriptions and his treatment plan served a legitimate medical purpose.
Prescriptions are lawful if they are “issued for a legitimate medical purpose by an individual practitioner acting in the usual scope of his professional practice,” Doyle added.
