A federal appeals court had signed off on the agreement, which would shield members of the wealthy Sackler family from opioid-related lawsuits in exchange for $6 billion for victims.

Read More Suits and Litigation (Civil), Opioids and Opiates, Compensation for Damages (Law), Decisions and Verdicts, OxyContin (Drug), Justice Department, Purdue Pharma, Supreme Court (US), Sackler Family