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Federal judge says Donziger not entitled to damages in Chevron RICO case
A federal judge ruled Monday that New York attorney Steven Donziger, who is being sued by Chevron Corp. for fraud, is not entitled to damages over alleged misrepresentations...Judge Lewis Kaplan for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted Chevron’s motion to dismiss Donziger’s counterclaims. Donziger, who represents the indigenous residents who sued Chevron in Ecuador, filed counterclaims against the oil giant for attempted extortion and fraud. Chevron moved to dismiss for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted…Donziger alleges he has suffered “pecuniary, reputational and other damages,” including damage to his “reputation and goodwill,” impairment of his professional relationship with the Ecuadorian plaintiffs, and attorneys’ fees and costs. Kaplan said New York law awards only “out-of-pocket” expenses in fraud cases, entitling plaintiffs to damages solely for their actual pecuniary losses…