Oregon Court Ruling Could Jeopardize $1B in Wildfire Victim Damages

Appeals court sends PacifiCorp case back to lower court over jury instruction concerns.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 4:18am by Ben Kaplan

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A minimalist studio still-life photograph featuring a stack of legal documents, a pen, and a calculator arranged on a clean, monochromatic background, symbolizing the complex legal and financial issues surrounding the PacifiCorp wildfire case.The legal aftermath of Oregon's devastating 2020 wildfires continues, as a court ruling threatens to upend over $1 billion in damages awarded to affected property owners.Portland Today

An Oregon appeals court has ruled that a lower court made an error in its jury instructions during a 2023 trial that found utility company PacifiCorp liable for over $1 billion in damages to victims of the state's devastating 2020 wildfires. The appeals court has sent the case back to the lower court, potentially jeopardizing the massive payout to thousands of affected property owners.

Why it matters

This ruling could have major implications for the ability of wildfire victims in Oregon to recover damages from PacifiCorp, one of the state's largest utility providers. The 2020 Labor Day weekend fires were among the worst natural disasters in Oregon's history, and the potential loss of over $1 billion in court-ordered damages would be a significant setback for those impacted.

The details

The Oregon Court of Appeals found that the trial court erred in instructing the jury that evidence presented regarding four different wildfires could be applied to all class members. The judges noted that the class included owners of over 2,000 properties damaged by fires that were separated by over 100 miles, and that certain evidence related to causation did not necessarily apply to every class member. As a result, the appeals court has reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case for further proceedings.

  • In 2023, a jury found PacifiCorp liable for negligently failing to cut power despite warnings from fire officials and ordered the utility to pay punitive and other damages.
  • Since then, other juries have ordered PacifiCorp to pay over $1 billion in damages to a class that includes thousands of members.
  • The appeals court ruling was issued on April 8, 2026.

The players

PacifiCorp

A utility company that provides electricity to customers in Oregon and several other western states. PacifiCorp was found liable for the 2020 wildfires in Oregon.

Oregon Court of Appeals

The state appellate court that ruled in favor of PacifiCorp, sending the case back to a lower court over concerns about the jury instructions.

Wildfire Victims

Thousands of property owners who were part of the class-action lawsuit against PacifiCorp and were awarded over $1 billion in damages, which is now in jeopardy due to the appeals court ruling.

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What’s next

The case will now return to the lower trial court, where it is unclear how the proceedings will move forward. Attorneys for the plaintiffs may choose to appeal the appeals court's decision to the Oregon Supreme Court.

The takeaway

This ruling highlights the ongoing legal battles between utility companies and wildfire victims in the wake of devastating natural disasters. The potential loss of over $1 billion in court-ordered damages would be a major setback for those impacted by the 2020 Oregon wildfires, underscoring the complex and high-stakes nature of these types of cases.