Published March 26, 2025

08:38 AM EDT

M. Scott Brauer / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Key Takeaways

  • Boeing and the U.S. Department of Justice are set to go to trial in June, according to an order from a Texas judge.
  • The plane maker agreed to plead guilty last July to a charge of defrauding the federal government over the 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
  • In December, the judge rejected the plea agreement over concerns with a required diversity consideration for hiring the independent monitor to oversee Boeing’s compliance.
  • The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Boeing was negotiating with the DOJ over potential changes to its guilty plea.

Boeing (BA) and the U.S. Department of Justice are set to go to trial this summer after a Texas judge scrapped an April 11 deadline for the sides to present a revised plea deal.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor vacated the April deadline, and instead set a trial to begin on June 23. The plane maker agreed to plead guilty last July to a charge of defrauding the federal government over the 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.

“As stated in the parties’ recent filings, Boeing and the Department of Justice continue to be engaged in good faith discussions regarding an appropriate resolution of this matter,” a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement to Investopedia. The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In December, Judge O’Connor rejected the plea deal over concerns with a required diversity consideration for hiring the independent monitor to oversee Boeing’s compliance. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Boeing was negotiating with the DOJ to potentially remove the independent monitor requirement, or rescind its guilty plea altogether.

Boeing shares were little changed in premarket trading Wednesday.

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  1. United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. “Order.”

  2. U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. “SCHEDULING ORDER FOR CRIMINAL TRIAL AND PRETRIAL ORDER.”

  3. The Wall Street Journal. “Judge Rejects Boeing Guilty Plea Over DEI Requirement.”

  4. The Wall Street Journal. “Boeing Is Pushing to Withdraw Guilty Plea Agreement.”