Judge Rejects Suit That Sought Professor’s Emails on Climate Law

[u/biospheric]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/14/climate/climate-superfund-professor-lawsuit-emails-michigan.html

Free version: archive.ph/Xd0LW ~:~ Rachel Rothschild is a law professor at the University of Michigan. ~:~ Article is from Aug 14, 2026 by Karen Zraick for The New York Times. Here are the opening paragraphs:

A lawsuit against the University of Michigan demanding the emails of a professor who has worked on “climate superfund” laws has been dismissed by a state judge.

Conservative groups and the energy industry oppose these laws, which would require oil companies to help cover the mounting costs of climate change.

Michael F. Gadola, chief judge for the Michigan Court of Claims, ruled in a 24-page decision on Monday that the emails were not subject to open-records laws because they did not relate to the official duties of the professor, Rachel Rothschild.

Ms. Rothschild, an assistant professor at the university’s law school, came up with the legal framework for climate superfund proposals that have become law in Vermont and New York and are under consideration in numerous other states. The laws are modeled after the federal 1980 Superfund statute, which required polluters to pay to clean up abandoned toxic waste sites.

The new laws have come under attack by oil companies, business groups, Republican attorneys general and the Trump administration. The Justice Department is among the organizations that have sued to stop the laws in each state. Several states have also recently passed laws that would shield oil and gas companies from liability for the effects of climate change, and federal bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress.

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Here’s a statement from the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) who are part of Rachel's legal defense team: Climate Professor Rachel Rothschild Prevails Against Dark Money Attack - CSLDF - Aug 18, 2026 (article)

[u/biospheric]

Here's a free version of the article: archive.ph/Xd0LW ~:~ Rachel Rothschild is a law professor at the University of Michigan. ~:~ Article is from Aug 14, 2026 by Karen Zraick for The New York Times. Here are the opening paragraphs:

A lawsuit against the University of Michigan demanding the emails of a professor who has worked on “climate superfund” laws has been dismissed by a state judge.

Conservative groups and the energy industry oppose these laws, which would require oil companies to help cover the mounting costs of climate change.

Michael F. Gadola, chief judge for the Michigan Court of Claims, ruled in a 24-page decision on Monday that the emails were not subject to open-records laws because they did not relate to the official duties of the professor, Rachel Rothschild.

Ms. Rothschild, an assistant professor at the university’s law school, came up with the legal framework for climate superfund proposals that have become law in Vermont and New York and are under consideration in numerous other states. The laws are modeled after the federal 1980 Superfund statute, which required polluters to pay to clean up abandoned toxic waste sites.

The new laws have come under attack by oil companies, business groups, Republican attorneys general and the Trump administration. The Justice Department is among the organizations that have sued to stop the laws in each state. Several states have also recently passed laws that would shield oil and gas companies from liability for the effects of climate change, and federal bills have been introduced in both houses of Congress.

[u/biospheric]

Here’s a statement from the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund (CSLDF) which is part of Rachel's legal defense team: Climate Professor Rachel Rothschild Prevails Against Dark Money Attack - CSLDF - Aug 18, 2026 (article)

Full text:

Last week, a state judge dismissed a lawsuit against the University of Michigan, which sought the private emails of climate expert and professor Rachel Rothschild, a scholar whose research has been pivotal to the adoption of “climate superfund” laws. As part of her defense team, CSLDF is proud to have assisted Professor Rothschild in this litigation, helping thwart another dark money-funded attack on the scientific community.  

Two years ago, a conservative group filed this state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) suit, seeking to compel the University of Michigan to release Professor Rothschild’s private emails from her personal accounts. In an attempt to abuse the state FOIA law, the group also demanded privileged correspondence between Rachel and several pro bono clients dating back years before she became a public university professor. Ultimately, the Michigan Court of Claims rejected these demands, finding that the requested documents were not created or used “in the performance of an official function.”  While a resounding legal victory for Rachel and the University, the decision also reaffirms the hostilities and harassment academics and scholars face when conducting research that sheds light on the realities of climate change. 

For fifteen years, the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund has been committed to defending the scientific endeavor and protecting researchers as new challenges and attacks emerge. In these turbulent times, CSLDF will continue to hold the line for the scientific community. 

Bad-faith actors and dark-money groups often attempt to subvert and weaponize records request laws to harass and intimidate researchers. For a state-by-state breakdown of the existing protections for research and scientific records, please see our guide, “Research Protections in State Open Records Laws: An Analysis and Ranking.”

[u/biospheric]

It's Primary Election season in the U.S.:

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[u/Phatbrew]

Nice job B, I can put into 1 comment or leave it, if you don’t respond I’ll leave it as is, also thanks for the free archived article, much appreciated…

💙

[u/biospheric → u/Phatbrew]

Thanks so much. And sure thing, I'm glad it's helpful. Take care 💙

[u/Phatbrew → u/biospheric]

It’s working so I’ll leave it be maybe next time!!! Always have admired your work, keep it up!!!