Days before a long‑anticipated trial was set to begin, three defendants in a sweeping civil case accusing a former West Linn physician of sexual abuse have quietly struck settlements with about 180 former patients. Court records show the agreements resolve claims against the doctor, his longtime clinic, and one hospital, while a major regional health system remains in the crosshairs. The suit had sought nearly $1 billion in damages.
Who settled and what was at stake
Multnomah County filings detail settlements that end the plaintiffs' claims against Dr. David Farley, West Linn Family Health Center, and Legacy Meridian Park Hospital, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting. The complaint began in 2020 with four plaintiffs and ultimately grew to roughly 180 people, seeking about $970 million in compensatory damages. Some reporting and court filings noted additional punitive damage requests that pushed the combined totals higher, as detailed by OregonLive. Attorneys have not put any settlement figures on the public record.
Criminal case and charges
Farley is also at the center of a separate criminal case. The Oregon Department of Justice reports that prosecutors brought an 11‑count indictment in October 2025 after taking over the investigation from Clackamas County, and that Farley surrendered to police that month and entered a not‑guilty plea, according to a DOJ news release. Prosecutors later broadened the criminal filing with additional counts, and local court documents show the case now includes more charges, as reflected in court records and reporting by the Wilsonville Spokesman. The criminal prosecution is moving forward on a separate track from the civil lawsuit.
Allegations, practice history and clinic fallout
Reporting that draws on the civil complaint and investigative files shows Farley practiced in West Linn for decades, held hospital privileges at Meridian Park and Providence Willamette Falls and retired quietly in August 2020 following an Oregon Medical Board investigation. The lawsuit alleges repeated sexual abuse of patients, including secret photography, and claims some staff members were aware of troubling conduct. West Linn Family Health Center told patients in a Dec. 31 letter that it plans to close on March 19, 2026, and the clinic has since become entangled in insurance disputes tied to the case, according to Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Trial schedule and what will be at issue
With the other defendants now out of the civil suit, court filings show that the trial set for Monday, Feb. 2 will proceed only against Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center. Jurors will be asked to decide whether Providence can be held liable for Farley's alleged misconduct, rather than weighing the conduct of the parties that have settled. The timing leaves the civil showdown and the separate criminal case unfolding side by side, with public comment sharply limited by court order, according to local coverage in the Wilsonville Spokesman.
Legal implications and what to watch
A judge imposed a gag order in December that restricts what parties can say publicly while the cases advance, according to OregonLive. The Oregon Department of Justice has said it will continue its prosecutorial review, and prosecutors have left the door open to filing additional criminal charges before a trial currently scheduled for April 2027. With three defendants now off the civil docket, the Feb. 2 proceedings are poised to offer the first full look a jury will get at how Oregon law may hold medical institutions and practitioners responsible for alleged abuse inside exam rooms.
