Philadelphia, New York City, and the state of California top the latest list of “judicial hellholes,” where sue-happy lawyers are welcomed with open arms.
In its latest annual list, the American Tort Reform Association said the coronavirus crisis helped to flood the courts with new lawsuits against companies, a double whammy from the business-sapping virus.
“Not only does lawsuit abuse drag down the overall economy, as we’ve seen this year with thousands of COVID-19-related lawsuits, but in the most sue-happy states, a family of four can pay a tort tax of more than $3,000 every year. That’s enough to pay for two kids’ college textbooks for all four years and then some,” said Tiger Joyce, the association’s president, estimating that the “tax” related to the added costs is surging.
Since 2002, the group has ranked courts and court systems for how they handle frivolous suits, big payouts, and punishing sentences.
This year’s winners were led by two courts in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, which ranked No. 1 for a second year, and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
“Plaintiffs from across the country continue to flock to the Court of Common Pleas because of its reputation for excessive verdicts and its ‘open door’ policy to out-of-state plaintiffs. It is a haven for mass tort litigation, particularly lawsuits targeting medications and medical devices. The Supreme Court made the state even more appealing with a ruling that solidified the state’s low standard for expert witness testimony,” said the report shared with Secrets.
New York City was second. According to the report, the courts there and the liberal attorney general are crushing businesses.
“The state also has seen a dramatic increase in excessive verdicts, also known as nuclear verdicts,” it said.
California, which lives on the list, was third.
“California’s fall to the No. 3 spot in 2020 cannot be attributed to any improvement in the state’s liability climate, but rather results from the severity of problems in Pennsylvania courts and New York City,” the report said.
The Judicial Hellholes list:
- Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
- New York City
- California
- South Carolina’s Asbestos Litigation
- Louisiana
- Georgia
- City of St. Louis
- Cook, Madison, and St. Clair counties, Illinois
- Minnesota
