“Big Oil one step closer to facing trial for Washington woman’s death”, 13 July 2026

A daughter is one step closer to putting Big Oil on trial for their role in the heat wave that killed her mother after a Washington judge rejected the companies’ attempts to have her first-of-its-kind case dismissed last week. The case will now proceed toward discovery and trial.

Misti Leon sued ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Shell, and other oil and gas companies for fueling the extreme heat that killed her mother, Julie Leon, on the hottest day in Washington State history during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome. Scientists found that the event would have been “virtually impossible” without climate change…

Judge Matthew Lapin denied the companies’ joint motions to dismiss and strike the case. Judge Lapin clearly rejected the oil companies’ arguments  that Leon’s lawsuit was preempted by federal law…

The court granted ConocoPhillips’s request to be removed from the case, but allowed Ms. Leon the opportunity to amend her complaint.  Olympic Pipeline Company was removed as a defendant in the case.