US EditionJudge dismisses young climate activists’ lawsuit challenging Trump on fossil fuels
Judge Christensen acknowledged climate harms but ruled courts lack authority to block Trump’s fossil fuel orders, which could add 205 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2027.
- On October 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen dismissed Lighthiser v. Trump for lack of constitutional standing in a 31-page order, rejecting the challenge to three executive orders.
- Represented by Our Children’s Trust, the youths argued the executive orders accelerate fossil-fuel development, suppress climate science, and worsen air pollution, violating their constitutional rights to life and liberty.
- According to testimony and filings, expert witnesses presented evidence during a two-day September hearing and estimated the orders would add 205 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually by 2027.
- The plaintiffs say they will appeal to the Ninth Circuit and Our Children’s Trust Chief Legal Counsel Julia Olson confirmed they plan to continue challenging the dismissal.
- By emphasizing constitutional limits, the ruling reflects separation-of-powers and Article III limits and echoes Juliana v. United States, shifting momentum toward Held v. Montana and higher courts, elected officials and the electorate.
157 Articles
157 Articles
Rejected at ballot box, Democrats take climate change to court
Democratic Party policies were soundly rejected by voters last November, so activists are turning to courts at the state, federal, and international levels to impose costly and painful climate change policies on consumers. But there are signs that common sense may prevail. A federal court in Montana threw out a case last week that was funded by an activist group called Our Children’s Trust, holding that judges are ill equipped to dictate energy …
Inside Climate News
ecotopical.comMontana Court Dismisses Youth-led Lawsuit Challenging Trump Executive Orders Boosting Fossil Fuels
The judge in Lighthiser v. Trump described climate change as a “children’s health emergency,” but found that the young plaintiffs lacked standing and the court did not have the authority to grant the relief they requested.By Dana DrugmandA federal district court in Montana Wednesday granted the Trump administration’s request to toss out a youth-led lawsuit challenging the administration’s efforts to increase the extraction and use of fossil fuel…
Daily Montanan
Fairfield Sun Times‘An unworkable request:’ Federal judge dismisses climate lawsuit
Eva Lighthiser, left, and other plaintiffs wait to enter Missoula's federal courthouse on Sept. 16, 2025. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan)A federal judge in Missoula dismissed a youth-led climate change lawsuit challenging several presidential executive orders on the grounds the district court did not have jurisdiction to provide the sweeping relief asked for by the plaintiffs. Judge Dana Christensen on Wednesday issued an order “reluctantly” dismis…
US Judge Dismisses Climate Activists’ Suit Challenging Trump’s Energy Policies
A federal judge on Oct. 15 dismissed a lawsuit attempting to block President Donald Trump’s executive orders that discourage renewable energy while promoting increased production of fossil fuels. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen said the plaintiffs, who included a group of young climate activists, had shown overwhelming evidence that their lives are affected by “climate change” and that the president’s executive orders will make it worse. Ho…
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