Chevron Coastal Verdict Put Back on the Block as Appeals Court Sends Case to Federal Judge

A $744.6 million coastal damage verdict against Chevron is back in jeopardy after a federal appeals court sent the case to a federal judge and temporarily blocked further proceedings in state court.

The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a federal district court's decision sending the Plaquemines Parish lawsuit back to state court, citing a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave oil companies a significant victory in their effort to move some of Louisiana's coastal lawsuits into federal court.

The verdict, which included roughly $575 million for land loss, $161 million for contamination and another $8.6 million related to abandoned equipment, was returned by a Plaquemines Parish jury in April 2025 for damage attributed to decades of oil and gas operations.