Alabama Attorney General: BP Settlement Strengthens Suit

Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange says BP’s decision to plead guilty to criminal charges related to the Gulf oil spill strengthens the state’s standing in pursuing a civil case.

Strange said there different standards in criminal and civil cases. But Strange said that he viewed the criminal settlement as a “very good development.”

Alabama and Louisiana have filed lawsuits against BP for economic and environmental damage caused by the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Legal experts told AL.com that they believe the states are aiming for an out-of-court settlement. Strange said that the state and federal government want to avoid a protracted legal dispute.