U.S. District Judge Brian Morris
Coverage of U.S. District Judge Brian Morris in the Nexus archive.
- Firefighting gear manufacturers seek dismissal of Montana PFAS suit
Firefighting gear manufacturers, including 3M and DuPont affiliates, seek dismissal of a Montana class action lawsuit alleging they concealed PFAS chemical dangers in protective gear. Plaintiffs, including Butte-Silver Bow and other municipalities, claim PFAS in the gear causes health risks, while defendants argue plaintiffs lack standing as indirect purchasers. The case may be consolidated with other national PFAS-related lawsuits.
- Federal judge tosses oil leases on sage grouse habitat
A federal judge in Montana ruled that oil leases sold in sage grouse habitat between 2019 and 2020 violated the Federal Land Policy and Management Act by failing to follow prioritization requirements set in 2015 land use plans. Conservation groups argued the Bureau of Land Management’s lease sales in Wyoming and Montana/Dakotas disregarded protections for sage grouse, a decision upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court.