Attorneys representing the city of Warren are willing to discuss settling a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Brittany Watts, while legal counsel for Mercy Health stated that mediation would not be productive at this time.

The updates came during a telephone conference on Wednesday between Chief District Judge Sara Lioi and attorneys for all parties involved in the case. The lawsuit stems from a September 2023 incident in which Watts suffered a miscarriage at her home and was subsequently charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony that a grand jury later declined to indict.

During the conference, attorneys for Watts and the city indicated they are open to settlement discussions. However, counsel for the hospital system and the individual medical professionals named in the suit told the judge that mediating the claims between them and Watts would not be fruitful currently.

The judge also addressed ongoing disputes regarding the exchange of evidence. Attorneys for Watts and the hospital agreed to meet privately to resolve a disagreement over discovery materials. They must notify the court by January 16 if they cannot reach an agreement and require a judicial ruling on the specific issues remaining.

On the same day as the conference, hospital attorneys filed a corrected document with the court involving a "preservation letter" sent by Watts' legal team in August 2024. The letter, addressed to Mercy Health officials, formally notified the hospital of the potential lawsuit and demanded the immediate preservation of all video, audio, and written communications regarding Watts.

The notice specifically requested the retention of text messages, emails, and social media posts from hospital staff, including communications with law enforcement and internal ethics board decisions. The document also warned that failure to preserve the evidence could lead to legal sanctions.

The filing follows a motion submitted by the hospital earlier in the week seeking to dismiss the medical malpractice portion of the lawsuit, arguing that Watts missed the one-year statute of limitations for such claims.