Our speakers this Tuesday were Charles “Chet” Tisdale and Dave Indiano, the lawyers who on behalf of the government of Puerto Rico took on the Vieques cause that led to the US Navy ending target practice on the island. Chet is an environmental lawyer skilled in mediation working in a major Atlanta law firm, and Dave’s expertise is in local Federal litigation. Often, as in this case, final decisions are made based upon politics and persuasive arguments instead of legal research, legal expertise and fine-tuned legal positions. The key issue turned on the question of whether Vieques was at the time a critical asset for the Navy in defending the US. Chet explained how the panel of military experts were persuaded that Vieques was no longer critical and that it was in the Navy’s best interest to stop utilizing Vieques for its target practice and the target practice of other nations.  

Jorge