Criminal Prosecution, Endangered Species Act (ESA)

Updates on Environmental Criminal Law in France

Paul Hastings LLP on 7/15/2025

Environmental criminal law in France has developed steadily over the past several years. Recently, however, there has been a shift of the political narrative — both in Europe and domestically — toward simplification rather...more

Tiger King Lawsuits Take 2

Nossaman LLP on 11/25/2020

On November 19, 2020, in a call back to its criminal lawsuit against Joseph “Tiger King” Maldonado-Passage, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against the husband and wife team who took over the wildlife...more

Florida Man Faces Federal Prison, Fine For Killing Endangered Sawfish

Nossaman LLP on 11/20/2019

On November 1, 2019, Chad Ponce of Jacksonville, Florida pleaded guilty to killing a smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata), an endangered species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Florida...more

Ninth Circuit Dismisses Challenge to Policy regarding ESA Criminal Prosecutions

Nossaman LLP on 10/26/2018

In WildEarth Guardians et al. v. U.S. Department of Justice, Case Nos. 17-16677, 17-16678, 17-16679 (Oct. 23, 2018), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed plaintiff-appellees case challenging the U.S....more

Court Rules DOJ Enforcement Directive Arbitrary and Capricious

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP on 6/28/2017

A U.S. District Court in Arizona has ruled that DOJ’s narrow interpretation of the requirements for a criminal misdemeanor under the Endangered Species Act went beyond unreviewable prosecutorial discretion, and its policy was...more

A Permit System May Finally Arrive for the Migratory Bird Treaty Act - New Opportunities and Responsibilities

Bracewell LLP on 5/30/2015

For years, Federal Courts have held that individuals can be held criminally liable under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) for the death of birds regardless of whether they intended to harm them. While several courts have...more

The Criminal Side of Fracking: Individuals and Companies Face State and Federal Criminal Charges related to Handling and Disposal...

Moore & Van Allen PLLC on 10/31/2013

On Monday, October 28, 2013, the Clean Water Action national environmental organization (“CWA”) filed a federal civil lawsuit against Waste Treatment Corporation for the alleged illegal disposal of hundreds of thousands of...more

Criminal Prosecution › Endangered Species Act (ESA)