Governor of ‘Judicial Hellhole’ State Stresses Vital Importance of Addressing Lawsuit Abuse

Today, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster held a press conference to emphasize the importance of addressing the issues plaguing the state’s civil justice system.  This comes as the South Carolina Senate is poised to vote on a comprehensive legal reform package that would go a long way towards improving the state’s legal climate. 

Senate Bill 244 would adjust how fault is determined in civil lawsuits. Currently, if multiple parties are named in a lawsuit and some of those parties settle outside of court, the remaining party can be held responsible to pay 100% of any monetary damages awarded in trial, even if they were only 1% responsible.  

The bill also would empower juries with more relevant information during trials, including whether seat belts were worn in cases involving automobile crashes.  

“All of our laws should keep the doors wide open for our future economic prosperity. … “The rules on joint and several liability have introduced an element of uncertainty in our state, and uncertainty is the enemy of prosperity. We must eliminate that uncertainty.” – Governor Henry McMaster

South Carolina has become a mainstay on the Judicial Hellholes® report, appearing as high as No. 3 in the most recent report released in December 2024.  Plaintiffs’ lawyers have turned South Carolina courts into their playgrounds, pouring millions of dollars into advertising to drum up more clients.  From January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, lawyers spent $88.98 million on more than 2 million advertisements across all mediums in the state.  The excessive costs associated with the state’s legal system result in an $886 annual “tort tax” paid by every South Carolinian, or $3,544 for a household of four.