Roberts Seeks Response To Bid For High Court Climate Nuisance Suit Stay

摘要

Chief Justice John Roberts is asking Baltimore officials to respond to an oil industry request for the Supreme Court to pause a lower court's order allowing the city's climate nuisance case to proceed in state court while the companies appeal that decision in federal appellate court. Roberts' Oct. 4 order, requiring the city to issue a response by 3 p.m. Oct. 18, suggests the chief justice is at least considering temporarily blocking the state court trial from moving forward, or asking his colleagues to weigh in on the matter. Roberts oversees the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, which is hearing BP PLC, et al. v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, industry's appeal of a decision by the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland holding that the case belongs in state court and refusing to stay the remand during the 4th Circuit's consideration. The appellate court Oct. 1 denied industry's request to stay the lower court's remand while it considers the issues on the merits, prompting the companies to immediately go to the Supreme Court the same day.