SAN FRANCISCO — To some, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy’s massive climate-change lawsuit, which lists both the United States of America and President Barack Obama as defendants, may seem like an absurd overreach.The 100-page complaint, filed this summer, seeks to hold the government accountable for global warming and force the president to implement a plan to cut carbon emissions. It’s a constitutional claim: 21 child and teenage plaintiffs have been deprived of their Fifth Amendment right to life, liberty and property by the government’s failed environmental policy, the complaint asserts. Already the Cotchett team finds itself squaring off against powerful foes—a group of oil industry associations represented by Sidley Austin has attempted to intervene and file a motion to dismiss.
It promises to be an immensely difficult and complex case, and one with no clear-cut promise of damages or attorney fees. Even Joseph Cotchett himself has said he expects it will “get thrown out initially.”
This content has been archived. It is available through our partners, LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law.
To view this content, please continue to their sites.
Not a Lexis Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
Not a Bloomberg Law Subscriber?
Subscribe Now
LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law are third party online distributors of the broad collection of current and archived versions of ALM's legal news publications. LexisNexis® and Bloomberg Law customers are able to access and use ALM's content, including content from the National Law Journal, The American Lawyer, Legaltech News, The New York Law Journal, and Corporate Counsel, as well as other sources of legal information.
For questions call 1-877-256-2472 or contact us at [email protected]
