Appeals Court Affirms Dismissal Of Parish BP Suits

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld the 2010 dismissal of legal action filed by 11 Louisianaparishes over wildlife damage from the BP oil spill earlier that year.

According to the ruling, the suits were filed originally in state court but were later moved to federal court over the objections of at least three of the parishes. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling Monday said federal jurisdiction in the case prevailed and that the federal district court was correct to take over and dismiss the cases.

Appealing the 2010 action were district attorneys for Plaquemines, Orleans, St. Bernard, Lafourche, Terrebonne, St. Charles, Jefferson, Iberia, St. Mary, St. Tammany and Cameron parishes.

Hundreds of lawsuits from the 2010 spill were consolidated under U.S. District Judge Carl Barbier.

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