A U.S. judge on April 15 dismissed a federal government lawsuit seeking to stop Hawaii from suing fossil fuel companies in state court over climate-related actions.
U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor in Honolulu cited a “longstanding” policy against federal intervention in the procedures of state courts.
It’s the second time this year that federal courts have blocked the Department of Justice’s efforts to halt climate-related actions in state courts. In January, Judge Jane M. Beckering in Grand Rapids threw out a similar lawsuit that would have blocked Michigan from suing oil companies.
The Department of Justice announced on May 1, 2025, that it had filed lawsuits against Hawaii and Michigan “to prevent each state from suing fossil fuel companies in state court to seek damages for alleged climate change harms.”…