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Climate Change
Judge: Facebook didn't defame John Stossel by putting 'partly false' labels on his videos
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Legal Newsline) - John Stossel wasn’t defamed when Facebook called one of his videos “partly false” and said another was “missing context,” a federal judge ruled, tossing the conservative journalist’s lawsuit against Meta Platforms and a French scientific fact-checking organization.
Climate Change
Minn. AG allowed to keep info on climate change litigation private
MINNEAPOLIS (Legal Newsline) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison can cite the “common-interest doctrine” to shield communications with outside parties involved in climate litigation, the state’s highest court ruled, reversing an appeals court decision that would have made public Ellison’s conversations with other state AGs and private organizations.
Climate Change
Ninth Circuit rules for Honolulu in climate change issue
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) – The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has unsurprisingly ruled Honolulu’s climate change lawsuit against Big Oil belongs in a state court instead of federal.
Climate Change
White House science office hit with FOIA lawsuit over counterintelligence gathered by 'climate delay, disinformation' panel
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A transparency watchdog has sued the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) over its alleged failure to provide documents involving a two-hour panel that categorized opposition to climate change initiatives as "disinformation" and "delay-ism."
Climate Change
Exxon loses one defense as it fights Massachusetts AG's climate lawsuit
BOSTON (Legal Newsline) - The Massachusetts Supreme Court allowed the state’s climate lawsuit to proceed, rejecting ExxonMobil’s attempt to dismiss the case under a law written to discourage litigation designed to retaliate against public speech.
Climate Change
Appointment of MN climate activist shows administration not really interested in bringing down price of gas, critic says
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The Biden Administration has quietly tapped a University of Minnesota (UMN) law professor with controversial ties to the Office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison for a key litigation role at the Department of Energy.
Climate Change
Big Oil won't give up climate change fight until U.S. Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) – It’s no surprise, but a recent court filing by companies like Exxon, Shell, BP and Chevron that are facing climate change litigation shows they won’t give up their fight to have the cases heard in federal courts – where the suits face tougher hurdles.
Climate Change
Ninth Circuit sends big-money global warming cases back to state court
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Three California counties will be able to continue their lawsuits against the oil industry in their home courts, after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments their claims based on global warming raised issues of federal and international law that required them to remain in federal court.
Climate Change
Virginia Attorney General ordered to 'perform additional search' for Bloomberg climate change documents
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - Virginia Attorney General Jason S. Miyares has been ordered to perform an additional search for documents related to billionaire climate litigation advocate Michael Bloomberg requested by a watchdog.
Climate Change
Ninth Circuit sends climate case back to California state court
SAN FRANCISCO (Legal Newsline) - Three California counties will be able to continue their lawsuits against the oil industry in their home courts, after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments their claims based on global warming raised issues of federal and international law that required them to remain in federal court.
Climate Change
UCLA ordered to release records showing coordination between law enforcement and 'climate denialism'
LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) - A California court has ordered the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) to release records showing academics “going after climate denialism” in coordination with state and local prosecutors.
Climate Change
Fourth Circuit sides with alliance of private lawyers and government officials in climate change case
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) – Plaintiff lawyers with possibly huge government contracts scored a major victory Thursday after convincing federal judges that climate change lawsuits that would change the way the world’s oil companies do business involve mostly state law claims.
Climate Change
Federal watchdog sues State Department over delayed FOIA request on Kerry climate office
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - A federal watchdog has sued the U.S. Department of State alleging that it is wrongfully withholding records related to the Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change, chaired by John Kerry.
Climate Change
Eighth Circuit judge skeptical of Minnesota's climate change lawsuit
A federal appeals court judge peppered Minnesota’s outside counsel with questions about the state’s climate lawsuit against ExxonMobil and others in a hearing over whether the case belongs in state court, at one point suggesting the complaint wasn’t drafted carefully enough to avoid federal jurisdiction.
Climate Change
While Minnesota lawmakers advance ban on outside funding of AG hires, Ellison posts job opening for Bloomberg-funded climate advocate
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Legal Newsline) - Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is seeking to replace one of two Special Assistant Attorney Generals (SAAGs), a spokesman from the AG's office confirmed Monday.
Climate Change
Appeals court to decide if Minnesota can sue oil industry in its own courts
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear arguments today on whether Minnesota can sue the oil industry over climate change in its own courts, or if the case belongs in federal court.
Climate Change
Watchdog questions Interior Department appointee's below-market-rate loan, tree spiking incident
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Documents obtained by a federal watchdog group show that the Department of Interior’s communications team may have knowingly assisted an appointee in making false statements after a Senate confirmation hearing.
Climate Change
Watchdog: Fish and Wildlife director lacks scientific credentials; Decisions could face court challenge as result
WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - The Department of Interior's new Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) director does not have the educational requirements to assume the position, according to a watchdog group.
Climate Change
Virginia legislature seeks to ban special interest groups from planting attorneys in AG offices
RICHMOND, Va. (Legal Newsline) - The Virginia House and Senate seek to ban special interest groups from planting activist litigators in the state Attorney General's office.
Climate Change
Washington AG silent on Democrat's idea for 'attribution science' climate change lawsuit
OLYMPIA, Wash. (Legal Newsline) - An op/ed recently written by a Democratic lawmaker in Washington State is raising questions about the state's possible plans to file a major lawsuit targeting Big Oil.