Maryland Judge Denies Oil Industry Bid to Quash Climate Cases

Two Maryland climate deception cases will continue to proceed toward the discovery process, according to a ruling that denies energy industry requests to have the cases tossed.

Judge Steven I. Platt of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, Md., on May 16 denied motions to dismiss brought by BP PLC, ConocoPhillips, and other companies who argued that the cases should be scrapped for lack of jurisdiction.

But the City of Annapolis v. BP PLC and Anne Arundel Cty. v. BP PLC raise issues that are well within a state court’s wheelhouse, Platt said, echoing the 2022 decision ...