Overview
- The justices heard arguments on whether the federal-officer removal statute lets oil companies shift parish lawsuits to federal court based on World War II contracting.
- The federal government argued alongside Chevron and other firms for removal, while Louisiana urged keeping the cases under its coastal-use permitting framework.
- A divided 5th Circuit panel previously kept the cases in state court, finding the companies failed to link the challenged production to wartime federal direction.
- More than 40 similar suits and a Plaquemines Parish jury’s roughly $744–$745 million verdict against Chevron could hinge on the forum question.
- A decision is expected by June, and a 4-4 split would leave the appeals court ruling in place.