County moves forward to resolve wildfire lawsuits with Global Settlement

Today, following months of good faith negotiations, the County signed a Term Sheet with key participants in the lawsuits arising out of the tragic Maui wildfires of August 8, 2023. The agreement outlines the framework for a global settlement that would resolve claims and disputes related to the fires that devastated Lahaina and other communities on the island.

The settlement was a result of a mediation process that extended over several months and was overseen by Keith Hunter and retired judges Louis Meisinger and Daniel Buckley- all mediators appointed by the Court overseeing most of the Maui wildfire lawsuits.

Mayor Richard T. Bissen, Jr. emphasized that "We recognize that this settlement is critical to our survivors' ability to move forward on a path of healing from this tragedy and sincerely appreciate the hard work and willingness of all involved in finding their way to an expedited agreement."

In light of the recent settlement, the County will continue working with wildfire victims and their representatives to provide services and resources throughout the recovery period.

"The agreement is an important first step and represents the commitment of the signatories towards reaching a final settlement that would provide compensation to those impacted by the tragic fires," said County Corporation Counsel Victoria Takayesu. "The County remains steadfast in its commitment to rebuild Lahaina and support its community."

The agreement represents a shared commitment between Maui County and participating parties to continue negotiations in good faith towards a larger, detailed global resolution that would seek to equitably distribute more than $4 billion to those impacted by the fires. The settlement amount was the result of a "Mediators' Proposal" that reflected the mediators' view of the maximum amount that the parties could fairly and practicably contribute based on the facts of the case.

In the spirit of cooperation, the parties also agreed to jointly request that the Court put the litigation largely on hold except for legal motions that would assist the parties' efforts to reach a final resolution for the victims.

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