Salem, Oregon – The pandemic did not stop at Oregon’s prison gates. It moved through locked doors, crowded spaces and anxious phone calls home, leaving behind a legal fight that has now reached a turning point.
Gov. Tina Kotek announced that Oregon has reached a settlement in Maney v. State of Oregon, a pandemic-era lawsuit involving two class actions tied to adults in custody at the Oregon Department of Corrections who were exposed to COVID-19 between 2020 and 2021.
The case grew out of one of the hardest chapters for correctional systems across the country, when prisons had to respond to a fast-changing public health crisis inside facilities where distance and isolation were often difficult to manage.
The settlement was reported by OPB as a $49 million agreement, with much of the money connected to wrongful death claims involving people who died from COVID-19 while incarcerated in Oregon prisons. The lawsuit itself dates back to April 2020, when incarcerated people sued state officials over conditions and COVID-19 protections inside Oregon’s prison system.
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During the pandemic, the Oregon Department of Corrections said it used several safety measures, including increased sanitation, screening, medical care and operational changes. Those steps shifted over time as public health guidance changed, reflecting the uncertainty of a crisis that unfolded month by month, and sometimes day by day.
“This historical event placed significant demands on our corrections workforce, and I appreciate the dedication DOC employees demonstrated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Kotek said.
“It is also important we recognize the impacts and hardships this pandemic imposed on AICs and their families, especially those who lost loved ones. This settlement is an opportunity for people to heal and find closure after such a challenging chapter in Oregon’s history.”
State officials described the decision to settle as a practical and financial judgment. Rather than continue a long and costly court fight, Kotek and the Oregon Department of Justice determined that resolving the litigation would provide more certainty for the state, public agencies and affected individuals.
The settlement also lands as DOC continues to fold pandemic lessons into its current operations, policies and emergency preparedness planning. Since Kotek took office in 2023, the department has maintained infection control practices and updated its approach based on what the system experienced during COVID-19.
“At the Oregon Department of Corrections, our employees reported to work day after day, and year after year, to ensure the safety of our communities while continuing to care for the adults in custody,” DOC Director Mike Reese said.
“They did so under unprecedented conditions, often placing their own health, and the health of their families, at risk. Their commitment, resilience, and sense of duty during this period cannot be overstated.”
For Oregon, the settlement does not erase what happened. It does, however, mark an official attempt to close a painful legal chapter shaped by fear, loss and the limits of prison health systems during an emergency no one had seen before.
