Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Boulder’s climate suit reached the top court. Alito sat out.
The Supreme Court opened its term with Boulder, Colorado’s 2018 suit against ExxonMobil and Suncor. Boulder says they deceived the public about climate change and should pay for its fires and floods. Exxon’s lawyer said 90,000 towns could then set energy policy by jury. Justice Alito, who owns oil stock, sat out. A ruling is due by June.
A town in Colorado called Boulder says two big oil companies knew their fuel was heating the planet and hid it. Boulder wants them to help pay for fires and floods. On Monday the top judges in the country listened to both sides, like a teacher hearing two kids before deciding. They will decide by summer.
Why it worksA six-year-old reasons from what is in front of them, so the script gives them a town, two companies and a teacher hearing both sides before deciding. The climate science stays out because the case is about who pays, and fairness is a thing this age already argues about. Expect “who won?” Nobody yet. The judges decide by summer.
- “Can a town sue a company?”
- Yes. Boulder did. The top judges are deciding whether its case can go ahead.
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Boulder, Colorado, sued Exxon and Suncor in 2018, saying they deceived people about climate change and should pay for fires and floods. The companies say only Washington can rule on pollution. The Supreme Court heard both sides, like a referee ruling on whether a game counts at all.
Why it worksThis age is working out rules and who gets to apply them, and the case is exactly that: whether a town may even ask a jury, before anyone asks what Exxon did. The referee ruling on whether the game counts hands them the distinction. Expect “so did they lie or not?” The court is not deciding that. If Boulder wins, a Colorado jury does.
- “Did the oil companies lie?”
- Boulder says so. The court only decides if the case gets a trial.
- “Why can’t a town just make them pay?”
- The companies say that is Washington’s job. The judges rule by June.
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Can one town bill Exxon for climate change? Exxon’s lawyer says 90,000 towns could then set energy policy by jury. Boulder’s says it wants damages for deception. Second: Alito, who owns oil stock, sat out. With eight justices, a tie lets Boulder’s case go ahead.
Why it worksA teenager can hold two true things at once: a town billing a company for a global harm looks like policy by lawsuit, and a company that hid what it knew looks like a defendant. The script gives them both lawyers’ lines and lets them pick. Expect “why does Alito matter?” Eight justices can tie, and a tie lets the case go ahead.
- “Can one town bill Exxon for climate change?”
- Exxon: policy by jury in 90,000 towns. Boulder: damages, nothing more.
- “Why does Alito sitting out matter?”
- He owns oil stock. Eight justices can tie, and a tie lets the case go ahead.
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Based on the headline: Boulder’s climate suit reached the top court. Alito sat out.