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Toxic Torts, Public Interest Law, and Environmental Justice: Evidence from Louisiana*
Author(s) -
TOFFOLONWEISS MELISSA,
ROBERTS J. TIMMONS
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
law and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.534
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1467-9930
pISSN - 0265-8240
DOI - 10.1111/j.0265-8240.2004.00012.x
Subject(s) - redress , environmental justice , tort , context (archaeology) , economic justice , public interest , law , environmental law , political science , representation (politics) , geography , liability , archaeology , politics
Poor and minority communities facing environmental hazards have increasingly turned to legal strategies to seek redress but a divide has emerged in these cases and their outcomes. Some aggrieved communities turn to private injury lawyers, while others secure representation by public interest groups, such as Earthjustice, the Southern Environmental Law Center, or university law clinics. Is justice being equally served in these cases? We analyze the impact of toxic tort versus legal aid approaches in determining the outcome of environmental justice struggles using four landmark cases from Louisiana in the context of other factors that appeared important in determining how these cases resolved.