BP Lawsuit: Trial or Settlement

For 87 days BP's oil flowed into the Gulf of Mexico leaving an oily stain all along the gulf coast. Attorney General Luther Strange says Alabama's coast was damaged the most. "Our entire coastline was affected by the oil and our coastline is beautiful environmentally and critical economically."

The BP oil spill has dominated his first year in office. A federal lawsuit to determine liability is scheduled for a New Orleans courtroom February 27th. "It will be one of the most important if not the most important cases in the history of the state of Alabama," says Strange.

It will also be one of the most complex. The multi-district litigation case is expected to be tried in three phases and last up to six months. Special Deputy Attorney General Corey Maze is in charge of litigation. "There have been 72 million pages of documents produced and that's almost soley on this first phase. So you can multiply that number by three and see how big a case this is. We have deposed 303 witnesses so far."

But even with all the preparations that have gone into this case over the last year, the depositions that have been taken, the evidence thats been collected, it may not make it to a courtroom and Attorney General Strange says he's okay with that. "I think the best result would be a fair and comprehensive settlement. As long as it's fair to the people of the state and gets it sooner rather than later. I wouldn't be opposed to that at all."

Strange says it would be difficult to put a dollar figure on the environmental damage when tarmats remain off the coast of Alabama but he says settlement talks are underway.

At the end of the day he says he will do what is in the best interest of the state and citizens of Alabama.

If the case ends up going to trial once it is complete Strange says they will ask that the amount of damages to be awarded to the state be determined by a jury in Montgomery.