Texas Law faculty are invited to gather Feb. 2 for a discussion of “Public Nuisance: The New Mass Tort Frontier,” the recent book from Prof. Linda Mullenix, the Morris & Rita Atlas Chair in Advocacy.
In “Public Nuisance,” Mullenix describes the landscape of 21st century mass tort litigation involving public harms—including lead paint, opioids, firearms, electronic cigarettes, climate change, and environmental pollution—and the novel theory of public nuisance that lawyers and local governments have used to receive compensation from those who have created public nuisances. The book surveys conflicting judicial decisions rooted in common law and statutory interpretation and evaluates the competing arguments for and against the expansion of public nuisance law. Mullenix argues that that the development of public nuisance theory is part of the historical arc of mass tort litigation and suggests a middle approach to new public nuisance law, namely that we should embrace the common law and legislated public nuisance statutes.
The event runs from Noon to 1:45 p.m. in the Sheffield-Massey Room (TNH 2.111) and is open to Texas Law faculty. Guest panelists include University of Virginia Law Prof. Leslie Kendrick and Stanford Law Prof. Deborah Hensler. Prof. Elizabeth Sepper will serve as the moderator.