Judge Rules for Plaintiffs in Suit against New Hampshire Utility

The plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Unitil have won a legal victory from a judge who ruled against the electric utility’s motion to move the case out of central Massachusetts.

Residents and businesses in the Fitchburg area sued the utility for compensation for losses incurred in the aftermath of an ice storm in December 2008.

Unitil claimed in its motion that because of the widespread effects of the ice storm and media coverage it would be unable to get a fair trial in Worcester County.

The Telegram & Gazette reported that a judge ruled that the company failed to establish a factual foundation for its claims.

The decision was praised by a lawyer for the plaintiffs. The New Hampshire-based utility refused to comment.