PORTLAND – The trial of a Kennebunk physician charged with illegally distributing opioids and other federally regulated substances has been moved to the May trial list.

U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Torreson has also approved a protective order that sets forth rules for handling extensive documents in the case that include personal medical information, patient records, prescription information, billing information and data, and personal financial information.

The protective order concerning the documents means all parties in the case “shall take steps necessary to ensure neither these materials, nor copies thereof, are disseminated to anyone other than government counsel, government counsel’s staff (including government investigators or experts), defense counsel, defense counsel’s staff (including defense investigators or experts), and the Defendant,” the order states.

The order specifies no document containing protected information may be left unattended where it can be taken or copied by someone unauthorized.

When the case is concluded, the information is either returned to the prosecution or destroyed, according to the order.

Merideth C. Norris, 52, was originally scheduled for trial in December, following her indictment by a federal grand jury and subsequent arrest on 10 counts of allegedly illegally distributing opioids and other controlled substances, “outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose,” an October news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.

The prosecution and defense had jointly asked the federal court to postpone the trial until May because of the complexity of the case and the thousands of files involved.

Following her Oct. 26 appearance at the federal court, Norris was released on $10,000 unsecured bond and is prohibited from prescribing certain controlled substances.

According to the federal indictment, Norris, a doctor of osteopathic medicine,  prescribed oxycodone, dextroamphetamine-amphetamine and clonazepam to an individual described as Patient A on Dec 23, 2021; oxycodone to Patient B on four occasions from Feb. 25 to May 23, 2022, and diazepam, hydromorphone, and methadone to Patient C on June 16, 17 and 21, respectively – each, the indictments allege, in violation of federal law.

Norris was the first to be arrested and charged by the New England Prescription Opioid Strike Force, an entity launched this summer to combat unlawful prescribing amid the continuing opioid epidemic.

Norris faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

An indictment is an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.