Pain Relief Network

Stephen Schneider's lawyer is trying to stop a subpoena from federal prosecutors to obtain confidential settlements in medical malpractice cases against the indicted Haysville doctor.

Lawrence Williamson of Kansas City filed a motion Friday to quash the subpoena and find out what similar information the government is trying to obtain about Schneider's civil lawsuits and other "administrative actions."

Williamson's brief includes a copy of a subpoena sent by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway to lawyers involved in at least five medical malpractice lawsuits against Schneider. All were settled out of court, and the terms of the agreements were confidential.

Treadway, however, has ordered lawyers for Schneider, his clinic and the former patients suing him to turn over the settlement documents by Monday.

Malpractice defense lawyers have objected to the subpoena, and Williamson argues that prosecutors are illegally intruding on Schneider's right to privacy.

The lawsuits were settled before Schneider and his wife were arrested and charged with 34 criminal counts stemming from their practice of prescribing painkillers.

Most of the lawsuits were from former patients, or the families of deceased patients, who made similar claims prior to the filing of the criminal case, which also charges Schneider with health care fraud.

Other current lawsuits are pending. But the leader of the nonprofit Pain Relief Network, an advocacy group supporting the Schneiders' defense, has asked Schneider to stop allowing his lawyers to settle the civil cases, according to recorded telephone calls from jail previously produced by prosecutors.