Posted on Jan 21, 2020
Supreme Court Allows Flint Water Lawsuits To Move Forward, Officials Not 'Immune'
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for water crisis victims to sue state and local government officials in Flint, Mich.
For years, Flint city officials and state regulators have argued they are protected by "qualified immunity" from being sued for their role in the water contamination crisis. But lower courts have ruled to the contrary.
In refusing to take up a pair of cases involving the lead-tainted water, the Supreme Court has upheld those lower court rulings.
Attorney Michael Pitt, co-lead counsel on the class action lawsuit which includes thousands of Flint residents suing for damages from the 2014 incident, welcomed the decision as a major victory.
He said, "It's time for the people of Flint to start feeling like they are going to get their day in court," Michigan Public Radio reporter Steve Carmody reported. "This just moves the entire process closer to that day."
Pitt added that his clients have thus far "been denied justice."
For years, Flint city officials and state regulators have argued they are protected by "qualified immunity" from being sued for their role in the water contamination crisis. But lower courts have ruled to the contrary.
In refusing to take up a pair of cases involving the lead-tainted water, the Supreme Court has upheld those lower court rulings.
Attorney Michael Pitt, co-lead counsel on the class action lawsuit which includes thousands of Flint residents suing for damages from the 2014 incident, welcomed the decision as a major victory.
He said, "It's time for the people of Flint to start feeling like they are going to get their day in court," Michigan Public Radio reporter Steve Carmody reported. "This just moves the entire process closer to that day."
Pitt added that his clients have thus far "been denied justice."
Supreme Court Allows Flint Water Lawsuits To Move Forward, Officials Not 'Immune'
Posted from npr.org
Supreme Court
Lawsuit
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Posted 5 y ago
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This is long overdue but it will be a long and winding road before it is at an end.
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And they are not likely to get just remuneration as the city and county are running on fumes financially. Flint is a sad example of what happens when labor unions end up running local government. Everyone was on the take, doing as little as possible for as big a salary as they could pull off. The people of flint need to stop thinking of themselves as a factory town. It is time for the people of Flint and Genesee County to start thinking about ways they can rebuild their community and forget about government handouts. We, the people are the only government that counts.
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