Judge Quashes Subpoenas in Schofield Fentanyl Case
A Jackson County judge has blocked defense requests for records from Oregon Health Authority and Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in the case against a former nurse.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Nursing Jobs
Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Lorenzo Mejia quashed subpoenas from the defense of former Asante nurse Dani Schofield, who faces 44 felony assault counts. The Oregon Health Authority and Asante had moved to set the subpoenas aside.
Why it matters
The ruling limits the records available to the defense in a case involving alleged diversion of liquid fentanyl and contaminated replacement fluid at a Medford hospital. It also affects how medical and state data is handled in criminal proceedings across Oregon.
Schofield faces 44 felony assault counts tied to 44 patients allegedly injured, and her lawyer says she could face up to 250 years if convicted on all charges. The defense had sought records covering roughly five years of infection data, but the court has quashed those requests.
The players
Dani Schofield
A 38-year-old former nurse at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center facing 44 felony assault counts over alleged patient harm.
Lorenzo Mejia
A Jackson County Circuit Court judge presiding over the Schofield case who ruled on the subpoenas.
Oregon Health Authority
Oregon's state agency responsible for public health programs, which moved to quash the defense subpoenas.
Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center
A hospital in Medford where Schofield worked and where the alleged fentanyl diversion took place.
The details
Schofield, 38, is accused of diverting liquid fentanyl from patients at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center for personal use and replacing it with hospital tap water that allegedly caused infections. Judge Mejia quashed the subpoenas on November 5, 2026, after OHA and Asante argued some information is confidential by law and some does not exist.
Timeline
November 5, 2026: Judge Lorenzo Mejia quashes defense subpoenas for OHA and Asante records.
January 2027: Next scheduled court hearing in the Schofield case.
Nursing Jobs Context
The case is likely to draw attention to hospital controls over controlled substances such as fentanyl, which are tracked under federal and state drug-diversion rules. Hospitals in Oregon must balance those tracking obligations against confidentiality duties to patients when records are requested.
Medford-area nurses and hospital staff may see stricter scrutiny of controlled-substance handling as the case proceeds. Residents who rely on Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center should watch for further court developments in January 2027.
The takeaway
Patient record confidentiality can limit what evidence reaches a courtroom, even in cases involving alleged patient harm. Readers following hospital staffing and safety should note how these disputes are resolved.
What happens next
Judge Mejia plans to decide a motion on expert witness testimony before the Court's next hearing in January 2027.
Further reading
For more on hospital staffing and roles, browse Nursing Jobs coverage in Medford.
