Two Hawaii lawsuits attempting to hold oil companies liable for their role in climate change can move forward in state court while an appeal is pending, federal judges ruled in a setback for the industry.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Saturday rejected a request from Chevron Corp. and other companies to stall proceedings in state court while the defendants litigate whether the cases belong there. Maui and Honolulu are pursuing separate lawsuits aiming to make the industry pay for the local-level harms associated with global warming.
Chevron moved both cases to federal court, but a ...