Fossil Fuel Impact Cases Belong in State Court, Judge Recommends

A federal magistrate judge recommended sending two cases to state court where groups alleged a number of fossil fuel companies failed to warn consumers about the dangers of their products, such as impacts to health and climate.

The County of Multnomah, Ore. brought suit against Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp., and other fossil fuel companies alleging claims of public nuisance, negligence, trespass, and fraud under state law.

Remand is appropriate for this lawsuit because the companies didn’t show that one of the defendants, Space Age Fuel Inc., was fraudulently joined, Magistrate Judge Youlee Yim You of the ...