DC Court Forces Exxon and Shell Into Discovery in Climate Fraud Lawsuit

A DC Superior Court judge ruled on July 10, 2025, that ExxonMobil and Shell must proceed to discovery in a consumer protection lawsuit alleging the companies deceived the public about fossil fuels and climate change. The court rejected the companies'' motion to dismiss, finding that the District of Columbia had standing to pursue fraud claims under its consumer protection statute. The ruling marked a significant procedural victory for state-level climate accountability litigation.