Moreno Urges Appeals Court to Vacate Cleveland Police Decree
The Ohio senator's friend-of-the-court brief asks the 6th Circuit to reverse a federal judge's refusal to end the 2015 consent decree.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Law Enforcement
Live Poll
Should federal oversight of the Cleveland police department end?
U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican from Westlake, filed a friend-of-the-court brief late Tuesday in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals urging it to vacate a ruling that keeps federal oversight of the Cleveland Division of Police in place. The filing follows U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver's rejection of a request by the city and the Justice Department to end the consent decree, which the Justice Department has appealed.
Why it matters
Moreno argues the decree is too expensive for the city and that the court has locked both the city and the Justice Department into a settlement neither side wants. The city and the Justice Department both want the decree ended, while the underlying FBI findings describe regular civil rights violations by Cleveland officers, including excessive force.
Judge Solomon Oliver denied the joint request by the city and the Justice Department to end the consent decree, and the Justice Department has appealed that ruling to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeal remains pending, with the city's arguments due in December and Lisa Blatt to file arguments for Oliver's order in January.
The players
Bernie Moreno
Bernie Moreno is a Republican U.S. senator from Ohio who previously worked as a car dealership owner before entering politics.
Solomon Oliver
Solomon Oliver is a U.S. District Judge in Ohio who oversees the federal consent decree governing the Cleveland Division of Police.
Justin Bibb
Justin Bibb is the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, who joined the Justice Department in asking a federal court to end the police consent decree.
The details
The consent decree was signed in 2015 after an FBI investigation into civil rights violations by Cleveland police, and it was signed by Justice Department officials under President Barack Obama and former Mayor Frank Jackson. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and the Justice Department formally asked in February to end the decree, but Oliver refused, citing the city's roughly 30% completion of required changes.
Timeline
2015: Consent decree signed following an FBI investigation into Cleveland police.
February: City and Justice Department formally request to end the consent decree.
Late Tuesday, November 10, 2026: Moreno files his friend-of-the-court brief in the 6th Circuit.
December: The city's arguments in the appeal are due.
January: Lisa Blatt files arguments defending Oliver's order.
Legal Context
The fight over Cleveland's 2015 consent decree sits within a broader pattern of federal civil rights oversight of local police departments that followed the FBI findings of regular excessive force. Moreno's brief reflects a growing political argument that such decrees impose lasting costs on cities after the underlying violations have been addressed.
Cleveland residents could see changes in how the city's police department is supervised if the appeals court vacates the consent decree. Oversight decisions affect how officers are trained, monitored, and held accountable in daily policing.
The takeaway
The appeal will determine whether federal supervision of Cleveland police continues or ends, a decision that will shape accountability measures for years. Readers should watch the 6th Circuit's ruling as it will set a precedent for other cities under similar decrees.
What happens next
The city's arguments in the 6th Circuit appeal are due in December, and Lisa Blatt will file arguments defending Oliver's order in January.
Further reading
For more on how federal oversight shapes local departments, explore Law Enforcement coverage in Cleveland.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Cleveland.
Live Poll
Should federal oversight of the Cleveland police department end?
