WASHINGTON, D.C.: Families of some of the 346 people who died in two deadly Boeing 737 MAX crashes plan to oppose a proposed deal between Boeing and the U.S. Justice Department, a lawyer said over the weekend.

The Justice Department explained the deal in a meeting with the families late last week. In a court document, it said families have until May 23 to submit written objections.

Paul Cassell, a lawyer for the families, said they will object because the deal doesn't properly hold Boeing responsible for what a judge has called the "deadliest corporate crime in U.S. history."

The Justice Department said it hasn't yet decided whether to accept the deal or take Boeing to trial. That decision will come after it finishes speaking with the families.

If approved, the deal would cancel a fraud trial set for June 23. Boeing is accused of misleading U.S. regulators about a key flight system on the 737 MAX, its most popular plane.

This deal would allow Boeing to avoid a criminal conviction. Families who lost loved ones are upset because they had hoped Boeing would face trial.

Cassell said the new deal is weaker than one from last year when Boeing was ready to plead guilty. In this latest version, Boeing wouldn't plead guilty at all.

Boeing has not commented on the matter.

In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a criminal charge after the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019. They also agreed to pay up to US$487.2 million in fines.

The Justice Department stated that, as of May 17, Boeing and the government had not yet finalized the details of the new agreement.

A day earlier, the Justice Department informed families that Boeing would be asked to contribute an additional $444.5 million to a fund for victims' families. This would be split equally among all victims, in addition to the $500 million Boeing paid in 2021.

Since January 2024, Boeing has been under closer watch by the Federal Aviation Administration. This development followed the loss of a door panel from a newer 737 MAX 9 jet during a flight due to the absence of four bolts. The FAA has since limited Boeing to making no more than 38 planes a month.