Boeing is on the verge of resolving one of the most protracted and high-profile legal disputes in its recent history.

At its core, the agreement stipulates that Boeing can withdraw an earlier admission of guilt.

The victims' families firmly reject the agreement and are currently fighting its implementation legally. They have until June 18 to present their arguments to the competent court. Boeing and the DoJ receive one week to respond. The presiding judge, Reed O'Connor, had already made surprising decisions in the past – for example, in 2022 when he classified the families as legally recognized victims, and at the end of 2023 when he rejected an initial deal due to insufficient judicial oversight and a controversial diversity clause.

The crux of the original allegation was misleading communication by Boeing with the FAA about safety-related weaknesses in the Flight Control Software System MCAS, which played a decisive role in both crash flights. After the crashes, the 737 Max was grounded worldwide for months.

As early as 2021, Boeing had agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, including a three-year probation under the supervision of the Department of Justice. But in early 2024, the situation escalated again after a fuselage part of a 737 Max came loose during a commercial flight – an incident that once again shook confidence in the program and forced the DOJ to take action.

Now much is at stake – not only for Boeing, but also for the credibility of the U.S. judiciary in handling corporate misconduct on a global scale.