• Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Climate Change Dispatch
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Climate Change Dispatch
No Result
View All Result

States Pursuing Climate Lawsuits Rated ‘Judicial Hellholes’ By Major Legal Group

by SPENCER WALRATH
December 17, 2018, 1:40 PM
in News and Opinion
Reading Time: 5 mins read
A A
4

exxon climate protest justiceThe trial lawyers bringing climate liability lawsuits against energy producers in California and New York City may have contributed to those locations topping the list of “judicial hellholes,” according to the American Tort Reform Foundation’s (ATRF) 2018-2019 Judicial Hellhole report.

ATRF’s annual report identifies the states, cities, and courts with the most “unfair and unbalanced” laws and procedures in the country.

California and New York City were crowned the worst and third worst, respectively, while Florida earned the number two spot, coming amid media reports of Sher Edling LLP and EarthRights International pitching their climate lawsuits to several South Florida communities.

New York Attorney General Uses Power for Political Gain

In addition to a litigation environment described as “brazenly plaintiff-favoring” where defendants are “entering the batter’s box with two strikes already called,” the ATRF cites the New York Attorney General’s climate lawsuit against ExxonMobil as a particularly salient reason for the city’s Judicial Hellhole ranking.

Under Eric Schneiderman’s tenure, the Office of the Attorney General became increasingly politicized. Using the Martin Act – a unique New York law from 1921 which grants the Attorney General extensive powers to investigate suspected financial fraud – Schneiderman began investigating ExxonMobil, claiming that the company misled investors about climate change.

After Schneiderman’s sudden resignation due to allegations of physical abuse, Barbara Underwood sustained her predecessor’s flawed investigation into ExxonMobil, suing the company in October over purported inconsistencies in disclosures to investors about the effects of still-hypothetical climate change regulations on its business.

However, as EID has previously reported, it was clear from the beginning that New York’s investigation of ExxonMobil was politically motivated, designed to garner headlines rather than uncover any actual legal violations.

The actions of Eric Schneiderman and Barbara Underwood – expanding and enhancing the powers of the Office of the Attorney General for political gain – represent a concerning trend in New York’s legal system, according to the ATRF.

California’s ‘Abusive’ Legal System Hurts Citizens

The climate lawsuits in California are central to the state’s low ranking by the ATRF, which said that litigation burdens not only California courts but also consumers in the state.

In 2018, the cost of living in California jumped from the third- to second-highest in the United States, due in large part to lawsuit abuse and excessive state regulations driving up housing, food, and energy prices.

In fact, a Perryman Group study released in September quantified the estimated impact of excessive tort on California’s economy, finding it costs $11.6 billion in annual direct costs and 197,776 lost jobs.

Despite their Hellhole status, judges in California and New York have bucked the trend and dismissed some of the climate lawsuits brought against major oil companies.

In both of their respective motions to dismiss, U.S. District Judge William Alsup and U.S. District Judge John Keenan noted that the judiciary is not the appropriate venue to address a global, political issue such as climate change.

The ATRF report echoes this sentiment:

“One topic that should not be in dispute, however, is the role of litigation in this area. Courts are appropriate for settling legal disputes, not setting environmental policy that has a profound impact on countless aspects of our daily lives and the continuing prospects for a strong and vibrant economy”

Florida’s Race to the Bottom

Florida was ranked the second-worst hellhole in ATRF’s report this year, but a new batch of climate lawsuits may give California a run for worst overall.

The Washington Free Beacon recently reported on Sher Edling’s efforts to pitch Miami and Miami Beach on filing climate liability lawsuits on a contingency fee basis, meaning the trial lawyers stand to make hundreds of millions of dollars should they win.

EarthRights International, which is representing Boulder, Colo., in its climate lawsuit, has also approached Ft. Lauderdale and other municipalities in Florida about getting involved.

Despite these aggressive efforts, which include a PR campaign that has expanded to include billboards, a “news” site, and a podcast, Florida officials have refused to join the fray.

There is no shortage of climate litigation critics in the state, including the former attorney general and U.S. Congressman Bill McCollum, who said the lawsuits are “not a constructive way to address the issue.”

These lawsuits are just another example of out-of-state trial lawyers looking for an easy target by, say, targeting a “judicial hellhole.” McCollum continued:

“Large, national trial firms looking to make a big contingency fee killing are the driving force behind the recent proliferation of public nuisance lawsuits being filed by localities…They’re looking for the next tobacco case and are not content just to deal with state attorneys general as in the past or rely on traditional class actions.”

Climate Litigation Part of Broader Anti-Energy Campaign

The ATRF report confirms what EID has previously reported – that the recent boom in climate litigation is part of a larger campaign to attack energy companies.

In respect to California and New York City, the coordinated network of trial attorneys, activists, and deep-pocketed donors driving the broader climate litigation campaign have found a safe harbor and set up shop in California and New York City.

Ultimately, if these lawsuits are successful, it would have a significant and far-reaching economic impact.

By manipulating the court system to act as a quasi-regulator, the climate lawsuit movement would be leaving taxpayers to shoulder the inevitably enormous financial burden.

Looking down the road, ATRF offers a stark warning of the consequences of this campaign (bold added):

This type of litigation has a profound and significant negative economic impact and should be called out for the sham that it is.

State attorneys general must remain focused on protecting the interest of the public and serving their communities, and rebuff the advances of opportunistic plaintiffs’ attorneys.

If allowed to continue unchecked, the costs will not be restricted to the companies so arbitrarily pursued.

Rather, taxpayers will foot the bill and the trial bar will move on to another scapegoat to line its pockets.

Read more at EID Climate

  • Truth
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Gettr
  • Threads
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Mastodon
  • Buffer
  • Telegram
  • Email
  • Copy Link
  • Share Using More Networks…

Popular Posts

Electric Vehicles (EVs)

The ‘Green’ Scam Of The Century: How ‘Renewables’ Increase Fossil Fuel Demands

Oct 23, 2024
News and Opinion

Antarctica Is Colder, Icier Today Than At Any Time In 5,000 Years

Apr 15, 2024
Energy

30-Plus Signs That The Climate Scam Is Collapsing

Apr 09, 2025

Comments 4

  1. Sonnyhill says:
    7 years ago

    Jaypee, all those awards and accolades are aimed at those susceptible to the willing suspension of disbelief. Keep dreaming, people, y’all made this possible. Fiction is so much more malleable than facts. Facts are problematic, stoic, awkward.
    Obama successfully sold ” hope and change “. He got the Nobel Salesman of the Year award.
    Al Gore won the same award.
    The Nobel prizes are no longer ‘dynamite’. Duds.

  2. JayPee says:
    7 years ago

    We should be welcoming these jerks to the courts
    provided that
    the judges are capable of
    understanding logic, even common sense.

    There is NO credible proof whatsoever of a

    GREENHOUSE EFFECT

    And much less of the

    GLOBAL WARMING

    presumption.

    ALL of this propagandist idiocy
    flies in the face of

    The total rejection of the Scientific Method
    and

    The Second Law of Thermodynamics !

    Cheap fakeumentarist Mikey Moore doesn’t tell you that.

    Cheap NOBEL and Academy awardist Al Ghore
    doesn’t admit that either.

    I would also mention

    HOSANNA O’BAMA THE MAGNIFICENT

    But nobody can ascertain why he received the NOBEL PRIZE !

  3. Dave O says:
    7 years ago

    Maybe the people of California will be as progressive as those in France, and throw off the shackles and seek true freedom.

  4. Spurwing Plover says:
    7 years ago

    Vultures migrate south however in California and New York the vultures and the Sharks are year round residents only we call them Trial Lawyers and the Dirty Democrats are their partners in crime they oppose any kind of Tort Reform like the Protection of Lawful Commerce Act which protects Gun Makers from politicly motivated lawsuits these greedy law firms need to be reigned in and the cities bringing up these lawsuits need to face a backlash from the public against their greed

Stay Connected On Social Media

gab-logo

Donate Today

Beating back the alarmist narrative takes time and money. Please donate today to help!

Recent Posts

  • cnn harry eatonCNN Data Analyst Admits Most Voters Simply Don’t Care About Climate Change
    Oct 29, 2025
    Most Americans remain unconcerned about climate change despite decades of alarmism, CNN’s Harry Enten admits. […]
  • COP30 BrazilAs COP30 Looms, Trump Challenges Unhinged ‘Climate Crisis’ Narrative
    Oct 29, 2025
    Trump slams the climate hoax, questions the green new scam and so-called climate crisis, and defends U.S. fossil fuels ahead of COP30. […]
  • Bill GatesBill Gates Retreats From Climate Doom, Tells Activists To Focus On Urgent ‘Social Issues’
    Oct 29, 2025
    Bill Gates, once a climate alarmist, softens his doomsday stance and urges activists to focus on more immediate issues like welfare and poverty. […]
  • Trump signs an executive action to support the coal industry as Lee Zeldin looks on.China Files Comments Urging EPA To Keep Biden-Era Power Plant Rules
    Oct 29, 2025
    China’s Federal Register comments backing Biden-era EPA rules highlight Beijing’s interest in shaping U.S. energy policy, Zeldin says. […]
  • Exxon gas stationExxonMobil Sues California Over Forced Speech, Climate Reporting Laws
    Oct 28, 2025
    ExxonMobil says California’s disclosure and reporting laws violate its free speech by forcing the company to accept the state’s view on climate change. […]
  • cop30‘UN COP FLOP’: Most Countries Will Miss Climate Targets Ahead Of Major Summit
    Oct 28, 2025
    Most countries are set to miss their climate pledges as the UN COP30 summit nears, highlighting global inaction despite international commitments. […]
  • mosquitoes swarmingMeteorologist: Iceland’s Mosquitoes A Byproduct Of Global Shipping, Not Global Warming
    Oct 28, 2025
    NPR blames climate change for mosquitoes in Iceland, but a meteorologist shows how they arrived by global shipping, not warming. […]
  • clouds sun earthNew Study Finds Recent Global Warming Mostly Driven By Natural Forces—Not CO2
    Oct 27, 2025
    Recent warming is largely due to natural climate factors, with only one-third linked to rising greenhouse gases, new study shows. […]
  • Poverty in IndiaHow Climate Dogma Is Keeping The World’s Poor In The Dark
    Oct 27, 2025
    Western climate policies keep billions in poverty by denying developing nations access to affordable energy, all in the name of climate change. […]
  • EU's Ursula Von Der Leyen and TrumpUS Pressures Europe To Roll Back Climate Mandates, Targets Net Zero Policies
    Oct 27, 2025
    The Trump administration urges EU to weaken rules on emissions and sustainability, citing risks to trade and energy reliability. […]

Get Instant Email Notifications

Subscribe to receive a digest of daily stories, or get emailed once they're published. Check your Junk/Spam folder for a verification email.

Submit a tip

Please enter your email, so we know you're human.

Books You May Like

exposing great lie

Have a suggestion? Let us know! We swap out books based on your input. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. See here.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

© Portions copyright Climate Change Dispatch

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Videos
  • Who We Are
  • Facts Vs. Fearmongering
    • Real science vs Junk Science
      • 1100-plus Peer-Reviewed Studies
      • 97% – Myth of the Climate Change Consensus
      • Michael Crichton: Aliens Cause Global Warming
      • Climate change and its causes
      • Climate Science Primer
      • CO2 is not pollution
      • Deceptive Surface Temperature Records
      • Editorial: Great Global Warming Hoax
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 1
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 2
      • Rules for Climate Radicals: Part 3
      • Why CO2 Is A Minor Player In Global Climate
      • Why Politicized Science Is So Dangerous
    • Facts Not Fear
      • A Simple Question For Climate Alarmists
      • Climate Change – The Facts
      • Climate Change Fears Are Empirically Baseless
      • Global Warming 101
      • Global Warming Q&A
      • Understanding The Medieval Warm Period
      • Ocean Cycles and Climate
      • Overview of Plate Climatology Theory
      • Precautionary Principle
      • Should We Celebrate Carbon Dioxide?
      • The Skeptics Handbook
      • Weather Versus Climate
      • Why I’m a GW skeptic
      • Winning the climate debate with facts
      • Why Aliens Cause Global Warming
    • Greenhouse FAQs
      • CO2, Plants, & Industry
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • How much have temps changed?
      • Is global warming real?
      • Measuring temperature
      • Swimming in CO2?
      • Scientists urge caution?
      • Today’s warming trend
      • Variations in temperature
    • Gore’s Greatest Goofs
      • Deconstructing the Truth
      • Fact-Checking Al Gore’s Latest Predictions
      • How Gore Created The Global Warming Hoax
    • Inside Real Climate
      • Closer look at the 97% Consensus
      • GW’s Amazing Story
      • IPCC gets failing grade
      • Real Climate Exposed!
      • Truth about Real Climate
      • We’ve Been Conned
      • What is there a 97% consensus about?
    • Behind the IPCC
      • 1,000 Scientists Dissent
      • Climategate: Caught Green-Handed!
      • Climategate Inquiries
      • Climategate Inquiries 2
      • NIPCC Report Now Available
      • Understanding the Climategate Inquiries
  • Submissions
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Climate Change Dispatch

 
Share via
  • Facebook
  • Like
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Digg
  • Tumblr
  • VKontakte
  • Print
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Buffer
  • Love This
  • Weibo
  • Pocket
  • Xing
  • Odnoklassniki
  • WhatsApp
  • Meneame
  • Blogger
  • Amazon
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Gmail
  • AOL
  • Newsvine
  • HackerNews
  • Evernote
  • MySpace
  • Mail.ru
  • Viadeo
  • Line
  • Flipboard
  • Comments
  • SMS
  • Viber
  • Telegram
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Kakao
  • LiveJournal
  • Yammer
  • Edgar
  • Fintel
  • Mix
  • Instapaper
  • Copy Link
  • Truth
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Gettr
  • Baidu
  • Mastodon
  • Threads
  • Bluesky
Share via
  • Digg
  • Tumblr
  • VKontakte
  • Print
  • Email
  • Reddit
  • Buffer
  • Love This
  • Weibo
  • Pocket
  • Xing
  • Odnoklassniki
  • WhatsApp
  • Meneame
  • Blogger
  • Amazon
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Gmail
  • AOL
  • Newsvine
  • HackerNews
  • Evernote
  • MySpace
  • Mail.ru
  • Viadeo
  • Line
  • Flipboard
  • Comments
  • SMS
  • Viber
  • Telegram
  • Subscribe
  • Facebook Messenger
  • Kakao
  • LiveJournal
  • Yammer
  • Edgar
  • Fintel
  • Mix
  • Instapaper
  • Copy Link
  • Truth
  • gab-logo Gab
  • Gettr
  • Baidu
  • Mastodon
  • Threads
  • Bluesky