This Supreme Court ‘victory’ for oil giants is not what it seems
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- Supreme Court ruled the Plaquemines Parish lawsuit against Chevron must be heard in federal court, overturning a $745 million state‑court judgment.
- Chevron avoids the $745 million award for now, but will face a new trial in a federal court that traditionally leans toward industry.
- Plaquemines Parish loses the $745 million judgment and must restart litigation, delaying funds for Louisiana’s wetland restoration.
- Trump administration praised the decision, citing it as a win for business and a sign of federal courts' jurisdiction over such cases.
- Justice Clarence Thomas argued the case belongs in federal court because Chevron was a WWII‑era military contractor, invoking federal jurisdiction over navigable waterways.
Why it matters: Chevron gains a temporary reprieve by avoiding the $745 million state‑court judgment, while Plaquemines Parish loses that award and must fight again in a federal court that tends to favor industry, delaying restoration funding for Louisiana’s wetlands.
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