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Archives: Hellholes

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South Carolina Asbestos Litigation

South Carolina’s asbestos environment first landed on the Judicial Hellholes® list in 2020. Since that time, the trial judge who

The Michigan Supreme Court

After appearing in the Judicial Hellholes® report for the first time last year, it appears the Michigan Supreme Court is

St. Louis

Judges in St. Louis issue plaintiff-friendly rulings and embrace junk science, signaling to plaintiffs’ lawyers across the country, and now

Georgia

Georgia’s civil justice system is plagued by skyrocketing nuclear verdicts®, inflated awards for medical costs, expansive premises liability, and laws

New York City

A “fraudemic” hit the Big Apple in 2024. Some of the worst examples of lawsuit abuse came to light in

Cook County, Illinois

Cook County is home to a disproportionate amount of the state’s litigation and nuclear verdicts®. No-injury litigation, including claims filed

King County, Washington

King County, Washington makes its first ever appearance on the Judicial Hellholes® list thanks to judges’ proclivity for unfair group

California

California is the trial bar’s laboratory. It’s where they go to pursue innovative new theories of liability and push the

Louisiana

Nuclear verdicts® plague the state’s civil justice system, bringing it in line with other Judicial Hellholes®. This year, an auto

St. Louis

Judges in St. Louis seem to have embraced their reputation for skirting both state law and U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

California

The “Golden State” is the plaintiffs’ bar’s laboratory for finding innovative new ways to expand liability through both the courts

Cook County

The prevalence of no-injury lawsuits in Cook County has propelled the county near the top of this year’s list. Litigation

Louisiana

Louisiana’s civil justice system continues to be plagued by the same problems as in years past. If the state wants

Georgia

Georgia vaulted to the top of the Judicial Hellholes® report in 2022 thanks in large part to a massive $1.7

Lansing, Michigan

The capital of Michigan, home to the state’s high court and legislature, is a newcomer to the Judicial Hellholes® list

South Carolina Asbestos Litigation

South Carolina’s asbestos environment continues to erode following its initial appearance on the Judicial Hellholes® list in 2020. In the

New York City

New York City has long been known for its beautiful city skyline, and now it’s known for its sky-high verdicts

New York

New York’s fall in the rankings is in no way a reflection of positive change in the Empire State, but

Cook County, Illinois

Cook County has become ground zero for “no-injury” lawsuits, mainly arising out of the state’s Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA).

2019 Judicial Hellhole Report

Every year we shine a light on the worst of the worst. Since its inception in 2002, the American Tort Reform Foundation’s Judicial Hellholes® program has documented in annually published reports various abuses within the civil justice system, focusing primarily on jurisdictions where courts have been radically out of balance.

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