 The decision will delay payouts of billions of dollars in compensation to states harmed by the opioid epidemic. Here's NPR's Brian Mann. Members of the Sackler family aren't bankrupt, but they hope by paying roughly $6 billion into a bankruptcy settlement, the court would grant them immunity from future opioid lawsuits. But in a 5-4 ruling, justices said Congress never granted bankruptcy courts the authority to block lawsuits in this way. Adam Levitin teaches law at Georgetown University.