By Craig Rucker

March 23, 2018 - This week, a federal judge in San Francisco ordered parties to hold what many are calling the first-ever U.S. court hearing on the science of climate change.

The U.S. District Court Judge who conducted the hearing, William Alsup, asked lawyers from several big oil companies to go tête á tête against those representing San Francisco and Oakland — two California cities that accused the fossil fuel big boys of covering up their role in contributing to global warming.

The results weren’t very shiny for those from the Golden State.

U.S. District Judge William Alsup dismissed a key aspect of the plaintiff's case – namely, that energy companies “conspired” to cover up the science on global warming.

Marc Morano called it "a bloody nose for warmists" in an extensive "roundup" report at CFACT's Climate Depot.

We also posted a report by Michael Bastasch at CFACT.org explaining that, "San Francisco and Oakland filed suit against five major companies, including Exxon and Chevron, demanding money for damages global warming allegedly caused. A core component of their suit is fossil fuel companies 'engaged in a large-scale, sophisticated advertising and public relations campaign' to promote fossil fuels while they 'knew' their products would contribute to 'dangerous’ global warming.  [The judge ruled] the cities’ suits against oil companies, however, do not show an industry conspiracy to suppress climate science from the public."

Interestingly, Judge Alsup also happens to be the judge who ordered President Trump to continue President Obama's "DACA" program for illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. at a young age. He’s hardly a right-winger.

Plans by global warming campaigners to use the courts to impose drastic civil and criminal penalties upon anyone who dares correct the record on climate change are dangerous.

This ruling provides some welcome relief.