A subsidiary of Chevron Corp. has been ordered to pay $120 million in damages to a family-owned oil company following a California appeals court decision. The ruling stems from Chevron’s alleged damage to the smaller oil company’s field. The appeals court rejected Chevron’s request for a new trial, which had originally been granted by a lower court due to revelations about a juror’s convictions and failure to register as a sex offender after moving to California.
Chevron’s attempt to obtain a new trial centered on the argument that juror bias had compromised the original trial’s fairness. Despite these concerns, the appeals court emphasized the importance of upholding the verdict, citing the need for efficiency in the jury selection process and maintaining trust in judicial integrity. The court ultimately determined that the evidence of bias was insufficient to warrant a retrial.
This decision marks a significant development in the ongoing legal disputes concerning Chevron’s environmental and operational practices. Legal professionals and corporations may draw important lessons on the implications of juror vetting and bias in high-stakes litigation. For more details, the full article by Maia Spoto provides comprehensive coverage of the case and the court’s reasoning. It is available through Bloomberg Law
here.