Donziger’s Contempt Conviction in Chevron Fraud Case Upheld

The criminal contempt conviction and six-month sentence of attorney Steven Donziger for not complying with court orders in a fraud and racketeering case involving Chevron Corp.'s operations in Ecuador and the $8.6 billion judgment Donziger won against the company were upheld by the Second Circuit Wednesday.

Donziger challenged the US District Court for the Southern District of New York’s appointment of special prosecutors to pursue the criminal contempt case, saying it violated the appointments clause of the US Constitution. The court appointed the special prosecutors because the local US attorney respectfully declined to take the case.

The appointments clause gives ...