We are pleased to announce a victory in our Minnesota Valve Turner case! This trial was a rollercoaster with many twists and turns, but all three defendants were acquitted of their charges this morning in court. They were acquitted, not on the necessity defense, but because the prosecution could not meet the […]
Watch Lauren Regan’s interview recapping the victory in the Minnesota Valve Turner trial.
Starting on October 8, 2018, CLDC along with co-counsel, will be defending the Minnesota Valve Turners, Annette, Emily, and Ben by presenting the climate necessity defense to a Clearwater County jury. We have been developing this cutting edge legal strategy with help from many other lawyers around the country for […]
Lauren Regan is headed to Clearwater County MN, to argue the Necessity Defense along with co-counsel Tim Phillips of Minneapolis and Kelsey Skaggs, on behalf of brave Valve Turners, Emily and Annette Klapstein, and climate activist (and repeat CLDC client) Ben Joldersma. Two years ago they turned off 2 pipeline […]
Update: The trial will be October 8th-11th.
In 2016, five brave individuals, now known as the Valve Turners, turned off all 4 pipelines bringing tar sands oil into the US from Canada for a day. There have already been 3 trials (with Lauren as one of the trial counsel), in Washington, […]
As water protectors continue to stand up to the construction of the Bayou Bridge pipeline, in the Atchafayala Basin, reckless intimidation from Energy Transfer Partners is on the rise! They are asking for protection from Louisiana State Police, and are receiving none. CLDC stands in solidarity with these activists and […]
This week CLDC is providing legal support to some of the most active frontline climate defense camps in the country as part of our nationwide tour to empower and embolden activists with legal knowledge.
The CLDC has been providing legal support to the frontline pipeline heroes in Virginia and Pennsylvania. Recently, the Reilly family’s Virginia farm has been threatened, stolen and logged by the Mountain Valley Pipeline Corporation as it trampled upon their property rights and destroyed their pristine acreage that contains forest and creeks in order to stuff yet another unnecessary pipeline underground.
Eugene, OR — Today is a historic moment for climate activists in the U.S. The Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld a lower trial court’s ruling that will allow four climate activists to provide evidence of the necessity of their actions to a jury of their peers.
SF 2235, An Act Relating to Criminal Acts Committed On or Against Critical Infrastructure and Providing Penalties: A chilling of protestor freedom in Iowa. This bill has passed both houses of the Iowa Legislature and is pending Gubernatorial approval. The original version of the bill passed the Senate and was sent to the House, where it was expanded and reintroduced for Senate approval. The Senate ultimately voted to pass the bill 35-13.
