Justice Alito Recuses from Major Climate Case

Justice Samuel Alito will recuse himself from a major Supreme Court case over whether Boulder, Colorado, can pursue state-law claims seeking climate-change damages from Exxon Mobil and Suncor Energy. The court’s notice gave no reason, though the decision follows calls for recusal because Alito owns stock in other oil and gas companies whose interests could be affected by the ruling. The case could shape similar climate lawsuits nationwide, with potentially billions of dollars at stake for fossil fuel companies. Alito had previously said recusal was not required, and his departure could affect the outcome, including the possibility of a 4-4 tie that would leave the legal questions unresolved.