US Supreme Court's Alito won't participate in climate case involving oil companies - Reuters

US Supreme Court's Alito won't participate in climate case involving oil companies | Reuters

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US Supreme Court's Alito won't participate in climate case involving oil companies

By John Kruzel

September 28, 202610:54 AM PDTUpdated 3 hours ago

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!U.S. Supreme Court Justice Alito attends an event organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, in Rome

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito attends an event organized by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, in Rome, Italy, September 20, 2025. REUTERS/Vincenzo Livieri/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

* Companies

* Conocophillips
* Exxonmobil Holdings Corp
* Phillips 66

WASHINGTON, Sept 28 (Reuters) - US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not participate in ​an upcoming case involving a bid by oil companies to scuttle ‌a lawsuit seeking to hold them liable for helping fuel climate change, a court official said on Monday.

Alito owns stock in several oil and gas companies but not Exxon ​Mobil (XOM.N), opens new tab and Suncor Energy (SU.TO), opens new tab, the two companies involved in the dispute to ​be heard by the court on October 5. He had ⁠initially declined calls from watchdog and environmental groups to recuse. Alito stepped aside ​when the litigation reached the court at an earlier stage in 2023.

The Reuters Power Up newsletter by columnist Ron Bousso provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.

Alito is ​one of the most conservative justices on the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority.

Lawyers for the oil companies and those representing officials in Boulder, Colorado, who sued Exxon and ​Suncor in 2018, were informed on Monday of Alito's recusal in a ​letter from Scott Harris, clerk of the Supreme Court.

Harris did not provide a rationale, stating ‌only, "I am ⁠writing to inform the parties that Justice Alito has determined that he will not continue to participate in this case."

The dispute, which will be heard on the first day of the court's new term, could determine the fate ​of dozens of state ​and local climate-related ⁠lawsuits against fossil fuel companies.

According to his most recent financial disclosure, Alito's holdings include stock in ConocoPhillips (COP.N), opens new tab and Phillips ​66 (PSX.N), opens new tab, which are defendants in separate but similar climate-related lawsuits.

The ​upcoming Supreme ⁠Court case involves whether federal law precludes certain claims under state law seeking damages for harms allegedly caused by the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. The justices ⁠also ​directed the parties to address whether the court ​has jurisdiction to decide the case at this stage.

President Donald Trump's administration has backed Exxon and Suncor, arguing ​that federal law precludes Boulder's claims.

Adds details on Alito disclosure forms and case background in paragraphs 7-9

Reporting by John Kruzel; Editing by Will Dunham

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

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