A federal civil rights lawsuit challenging the handling of Oregon’s 2025 gubernatorial recall petition process has entered a new phase after the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon scheduled a confidential settlement conference between the parties.
According to an announcement issued by plaintiff William Harry Minnix, the settlement conference is set for Aug. 7, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amy E. Potter. Minnix is representing himself in the litigation, which names Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read as the defendant.
The lawsuit alleges that actions taken by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office during the 2025 gubernatorial recall petition process violated constitutional rights by providing petition instructions that Minnix contends were inaccurate. According to the complaint, those instructions allegedly misled voters and interfered with efforts to advance the statewide recall campaign.
Minnix’s lawsuit seeks declaratory and injunctive relief, along with monetary damages under federal law. The case centers on whether the Secretary of State’s Office acted in a manner that unlawfully affected the administration of the recall petition process and whether those actions resulted in constitutional violations.
As part of the court’s case management process, both parties have been ordered to participate in a confidential settlement conference designed to determine whether the dispute can be resolved without proceeding to trial. The process requires the exchange of settlement proposals and the submission of confidential settlement memoranda before the conference takes place.
Because settlement conferences conducted under federal court procedures are confidential, neither party is expected to publicly discuss the substance of negotiations or any settlement offers exchanged during the process unless authorized by the court or otherwise permitted by law.
“I appreciate the Court’s efforts to facilitate meaningful settlement discussions,” Minnix said. “I intend to participate in good faith while fully respecting the confidentiality requirements established by the Court. Because those proceedings are confidential, I will not discuss the substance of any negotiations.”
Minnix also noted that the scheduling of a settlement conference should not be interpreted as an indication of how the court views the underlying claims or defenses presented in the lawsuit. Settlement conferences are a routine part of many civil cases in federal court and are commonly used to determine whether litigation can be resolved through negotiation before additional court proceedings take place.
If the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the case is expected to continue through the federal litigation process. That would include additional discovery, pretrial proceedings and, if necessary, further rulings by the court on the legal issues presented.
Minnix stated that he intends to continue pursuing his claims should settlement efforts prove unsuccessful.
The litigation remains pending before the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. Publicly filed documents and court orders will continue to be available through the federal court’s docket system, while discussions occurring during the settlement process will remain confidential under the court’s order. At this stage, no findings have been made regarding the merits of Minnix’s allegations, and the scheduling of the settlement conference does not constitute a determination of liability or the ultimate outcome of the case.