Paolino v. JF Realty, LLC

Plaintiffs brought two citizen enforcement actions under the Clean Water Act (CWA) against Defendants pursuant to 33 U.S.C. 1365(a). The suits were dismissed without prejudice due to defects in the service or contents of earlier pre-suit notices. Plaintiffs then brought their most recent citizen suit, which the district court dismissed without prejudice, finding that Plaintiffs had failed to allege or establish several mandatory prerequisites to a citizen suit under the CWA in their pre-suit notice. The First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed in part, holding that the district court erred in dismissing the case, as (1) Plaintiffs' pre-suit notice satisfied the requirement that the notice identify the potential plaintiffs, provide basic contact information, and allow the putative defendants to identify and remedy the alleged violations; and (2) therefore, the enforcement action may proceed. View "Paolino v. JF Realty, LLC" on Justia Law