A New York federal judge granted a short delay Wednesday in the upcoming criminal contempt trial of Chevron foe Steven Donziger but shot down an earlier withdrawal request by his sole remaining lawyer, who had argued the trial threatens both safety and ethics.
On Wednesday night, U.S. District Judge Loretta Preska quickly rejected Oregon-based Lauren Regan’s declaration Wednesday morning that she “cannot adequately or ethically represent Mr. Donziger at the currently scheduled trial date … unless the date is postponed to when a safe, in-person trial could be conducted.”
Donziger is facing charges that he flouted court orders in Chevron’s underlying civil case over a $9 billion environmental judgment in Ecuador. Regan is his lone remaining lawyer of record; four other lawyers were disqualified, withdrew or hired their own counsel to fight participation in recent months.
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