The Small Matter of Suing Chevron

The book examines the complex legal battle surrounding a $9.5 billion environmental contamination judgment against Chevron, highlighting how chemical properties of crude oil influenced judicial outcomes. Suzana Sawyer analyzes the interplay between legal frameworks and scientific understanding, revealing how various interpretations transformed a contamination claim into allegations of racketeering and treaty breaches. By exploring the roles of chemistry, technoscience, and legal practices, she illustrates the uneven distribution of risk and reward in environmental disputes, emphasizing the intricate relationship between law and the material world.