Continuing with our efforts here at Warming Law to keep our loyal readers appraised of small but noteworthy developments in the sometimes-arcane world of global warming litigation, today we're prepared to report an interesting tidbit out of the auto industry's lawsuit against California.
In that case, Central Valley Chrysler-Jeep v. Goldstene, the lead plaintiffs-- who joined with General Motors, Daimler-Chrysler, and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers to file suit against California's clean cars law-- are a group of car dealerships from the state's Central Valley region (thus the case being heard in the U.S. District Court in Fresno).
However, just last week, plaintiffs' attorneys filed proposed orders to remove three of those dealers from the lawsuit. In other words, they're bailing (and in the case of Merle Stone Chevrolet and Merle Stone Porterville. they've apparently been asking to get out for nearly a year, despite judicial inaction).
We're loath to speculate on any legal reasons for this change of heart-- the cost of over two years of litigation thus far quite possibly looms large. Still, its a legitimate question whether, with the state arguing that Massachusetts v. EPA aided its case and an almost identical lawsuit in Vermont resulting in failure-- not to mention polling indicating that California voters (aka their consumers) are even more demanding of action to fight climate change than people are nationally-- they've just had enough.
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