US supreme court denies oil companies’ bid to move venue of climate lawsuit

(EurActiv, 24 Apr 2023) Justices turn away appeals of lower court decisions that determined lawsuits belong in state, not federal, court.

The US supreme court on Monday declined to hear bids by major oil companies to move a growing wave of climate lawsuits from state courts to federal courts.

The appeals to move the venue of the lawsuits were made by Exxon Mobil Corp, Suncor Energy Inc and Chevron Corp.

The justices turned away five appeals by the oil companies of lower court decisions that determined that the lawsuits belonged in state court, a venue often seen as more favorable to plaintiffs than federal court.

The lawsuits were filed by the state of Rhode Island and municipalities or counties in Maryland, Colorado, California and Hawaii.

Numerous state and local governments have pursued climate-related litigation against oil companies and the eventual rulings in the cases could help determine whether such lawsuits must be waged in federal courts or at the state level.

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EurActiv, 24 Apr 2023: US supreme court denies oil companies’ bid to move venue of climate lawsuit