When the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Thompson v. United States in March, the justices’ unanimous decision brought relief for the defendant in the matter – and it was the latest victory for members of UCLA School of Law’s Supreme Court Clinic.

Support for public ownership of electric utilities is growing in California, where investor-owned utilities are under intense scrutiny for causing deadly wildfires and charging some of the nation’s highest electricity rates. Adding to these challenges, utilities must make significant clean energy investments to achieve the state’s goal of a net zero carbon economy by 2045, while providing affordable and reliable electricity. Proponents of public power argue that the investor-owned utility model conflicts with these social priorities.