WSJ: Pennsylvania Vetoes Help for Business
The 2020-2021 Judicial Hellholes report was mentioned by the Wall Street Journal in an editorial focusing on the No. 1 Judicial Hellhole, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania). Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, D, recently vetoed COVID-19 liability protections passed by the state legislature.
“His veto is especially worrisome given the state’s plaintiff-friendly legal climate. Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court and Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas top the American Tort Reform Association’s list of “Judicial Hellholes” this year. The report notes that Pennsylvania has one of the nation’s highest payout rates in medical liability suits, and Philadelphia is a top jurisdiction for asbestos litigation.
Last year the Court of Common Pleas issued an $8 billion verdict (later decreased by a judge to $6.8 million) against Janssen Pharmaceuticals in a Risperdal case involving a single plaintiff. Pennsylvania courts including the Supreme Court have allowed lawsuits from out-of-state plaintiffs with little apparent connection to the state. Pennsylvania could soon become a prime target for Covid litigation.”
