Coronavirus
A Federal Judge Approves a Class-Action Status to Prisoners Sickened by COVID in Oregon
A federal judge has certified a class-action lawsuit in Oregon over state leaders’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic inside its prisons.
The decision is thought to be the first ruling of its kind in the nation where a federal judge has signed off on prisoners suing for damages over a state’s pandemic response. It opens the door to a potentially massive liability that could cost Oregon millions of dollars to resolve.
“This really is quite a groundbreaking order, and decision, and it could potentially be a model for advocates in other parts of the country where they’re having similar problems,” said Corene Kendrick, deputy director of the American Civil Liberty Union’s National Prison Project.
