The Rule of 5: Making Local weather Historical past on the Supreme Courtroom

“The gripping story of crucial environmental regulation case ever determined by the U.S. Supreme Courtroom. Richard Lazarus’s compelling narrative is enlivened by colourful characters, a canny dissection of courtroom technique, and a case the place the stakes are, actually, as large because the world.”
―Scott Turow, creator of Presumed Harmless

When the Supreme Courtroom introduced its ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, the choice was instantly hailed as a landmark. However this was the farthest factor from anybody’s thoughts when Joe Mendelson, an idealistic lawyer engaged on a shoestring finances for an environmental group nobody had heard of, determined to press his quixotic case.

In October 1999, Mendelson hand-delivered a petition to the Environmental Safety Company asking it to limit greenhouse fuel emissions from new vehicles. The Clear Air Act had approved the EPA to manage “any air pollutant” that might moderately be anticipated to hazard public well being. However may one thing as extraordinary as carbon dioxide actually be thought-about a dangerous pollutant? And even when the EPA had the authority to manage emissions, may it’s pressured to take action?

Environmentalists urged Mendelson to face down. Considering of his younger daughters and decided to struggle local weather change, he pressed on―and introduced Sierra Membership, Greenpeace, NRDC, and twelve state attorneys common led by Massachusetts to his aspect. This unlikely group―they known as themselves the Carbon Dioxide Warriors―challenged the Bush administration and took the EPA to courtroom.

The Rule of 5 tells the story of their surprising triumph. We see how accidents, infighting, luck, very good lawyering, and the arcane practices of the Supreme Courtroom collided to supply a authorized miracle. An acclaimed advocate, Richard Lazarus reveals the private dynamics of the justices and dramatizes the workings of the Courtroom. The ultimate ruling, by a razor-thin 5–4 margin, made doable essential environmental safeguards which the Trump administration now seeks to unravel.