Baltimore Climate Case Against Big Oil Kept in State Court (1)

Baltimore’s legal effort to hold fossil fuel producers liable for climate change can proceed in the state court where it was filed, a panel of judges ruled Friday in a blow to companies facing climate litigation across the country.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit sided with Baltimore in the latest stage of its lawsuit against BP Plc, Exxon Mobil Corp., and other multinational energy companies—one of a dozen pending cases targeting the industry for its role in rising global temperatures.

Chevron Corp. has already vowed to challenge the decision.

Baltimore says oil and gas ...