On March 19, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) denied the petitions of Flint local officials to review the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling allowing the citizens of Flint to pursue compensatory, punitive and other damages from state and local officials under the Civil Rights Act. The justices had reviewed the three separate cases the previous week. The plaintiffs claim the city violated their civil rights by knowingly providing residents with contaminated water. The defendants – state and local officials – had argued that the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is the correct avenue for resolving the dispute, not the Civil Rights Act.
Two lower courts had previously concluded the cases should be dismissed on the grounds that the SDWA precludes the plaintiffs’ civil rights claims. However, the 6th Circuit reversed the rulings last year. The decision means the 6th Circuit ruling stands and the plaintiffs can move ahead with their lawsuits. If they ultimately succeed, the decision could clear the way for other civil rights lawsuits against local government officials including public utility employees.