On November 8, 2023, Council unanimously voted to approve amendments to the DOJ settlement agreement regarding implementing an independent monitor. At that time, a status conference was scheduled for November 30, 2023 in Courtroom 15B of the U.S. District Courthouse.
Last week, at the joint request of the City and the DOJ, the Court converted the Nov. 30 status conference to a fairness hearing. At the fairness hearing, the Court will hear from the parties, the amici, and the community regarding whether the proposed amended settlement agreement is fair, reasonable, and adequate.
Any member of the public may sign up to provide oral testimony at the hearing by sending an email to mary_austad@ord.uscourts.gov. The Court will also accept written public comments until noon on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. Written testimony can be provided in person to the clerk's office on the 7th floor of the federal courthouse, by mail to Judge Michael Simon, Fairness Hearing Comments, United States District Court, 1000 SW Third Avenue, 15th Floor, Portland OR 97204, or by email to mary_austad@ord.uscourts.gov.