Michael Gerrard on Held v. Montana

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On Monday, 16 young plaintiffs—between the ages of 5 and 22—walked into a packed courtroom in Helena, Montana, to sue their government. At issue is a 1972 amendment to the state constitution guaranteeing that the “state and each person shall maintain and improve a clean and healthful environment in Montana for present and future generations.” 22-year-old Rikki Held and her co-plaintiffs allege that state officials violated that constitutional right. The case, Held v. Montana , now over a decade in the making, is truly historic—the first-ever constitutional climate lawsuit to reach trial in the United States. Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien sat down with Michael Gerrard, founder and…