Maryland High Court Judges Skeptical of State’s Climate Suits

A panel of state justices grappled with the nature and scope of three climate tort lawsuits at the Maryland Supreme Court on Monday, appearing doubtful that the cases center on deception and not actual emissions.

Baltimore, Anne Arundel County, and Annapolis appealed the dismissals of their climate tort suits against oil and gas companies this year, and the resulting decision will determine whether they’ll join Honolulu and other state and local plaintiffs to proceed towards trial, or follow a growing majority of similar tort cases that have been quashed in recent months.

The panel pressed plaintiffs’ attorney Vic ...