Judicial Hellholes Report Mentioned in Washington Post Feature
In the July 23 “Five Myths” Outlook feature, Professor Jay Feinman’s “Five myths about lawsuits” made a passing reference to the
Judicial Hellholes
Supreme Court’s Adoption of Novel Theories of Liability, Abusive ‘No-Injury’ Litigation, Place California atop Latest ‘Judicial Hellholes’ List
Today, the American Tort Reform Foundation released its 2018-2019 Judicial Hellholes report. California tops the list, with Florida, New York City and St. Louis not far behind.
Judicial HellholesFraud Arrests of 5 Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Represent ‘PIP’ of the Iceberg
According to reports published last week, at least five Florida personal injury lawyers have been arrested for their alleged roles in a car accident racket known as “PIP” fraud, but we know this represents barely the tip of the PIP fraud iceberg
Judicial HellholesFlorida’s Strengthened ‘Expert Testimony’ Standard Working, But Still under Threat by State’s High Court
Joining several state trial and appellate courts in doing so, a unanimous Florida appeals court yesterday embraced a more exacting standard for expert testimony which, believe it or not, may yet be struck down by the Sunshine State’s notoriously plaintiff-friendly Supreme Court
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightFlorida Plaintiffs’ Lawyer Steals from Clients, Gets Disbarred Goes to Jail, and . . . Blames Others
Previously disbarred Miami plaintiffs’ attorney Guy Bailey is off to prison for 25 months after failing to pay, as a condition of probation, restitution to clients from whom he’d stolen some $700,000
Points of LightTwice in March, Florida’s Plaintiff-Friendly High Court Erodes ‘Engle’ Compromises
Twice last month the plaintiff-friendly Florida Supreme Court gave personal injury lawyers new incentives to keep the state’s tobacco litigation chain smokin’
Judicial HellholesFlorida Needs New Class Action Forum at Miami Law Like It Needs a Category 5 Hurricane
With an apparent desire to ensure in perpetuity Florida’s status as a perennial Judicial Hellhole, three locally based class action law firms have donated $1 million to the University of Miami School of Law to fund an annual forum on complex mass torts and multidistrict litigation
Judicial HellholesFlorida Judge Who’d Repeatedly Taken Baseball Tickets from Slip-and-Fall Lawyers Resigns
A Florida judge who had been charged with ethics violations for repeatedly seeking Major League Baseball tickets from a plaintiffs’ law firm is “Out!”
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightSouth Florida Lawyer Forges Judges’ Signatures on More than 100 Structured Settlement Documents
Florida lawyer Jose Manuel Camacho is facing 14 counts of forgery for allegedly signing the names of seven different judges on more than 100 structured settlement documents
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightSlip-and-Fall Lawyers’ Baseball Tickets Trip up Florida Judge
Just when you thought self-serving plaintiffs’ lawyers couldn’t sink Florida’s civil justice system any further into the swamp of unethical behavior that makes it a regular Judicial Hellhole, at least one Florida judge has joined their drive to the darkest depths
Judicial HellholesStephen Diaco, a Florida Attorney Implicated in a DUI Setup, has been Permanently Disbarred
Stephen Diaco, one of three Tampa, FL attorneys involved in a DUI setup of an opposing counsel, has been permanently disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court. Diaco had previously sought review of a lower court’s recommendation of permanent disbarment but withdrew his request.
Points of LightFlorida Supreme Court Disbars Three Attorneys Who Set DUI Trap for Opposing Counsel
The Florida Supreme Court late last week unanimously disbarred three Tampa attorneys found by a lower court to have conspired to gain an advantage in a multimillion-dollar defamation lawsuit by ensnaring opposing counsel in a DUI honeypot trap
Judicial HellholesFlorida Jury Delivers Plainly Unconstitutional Punitive Damages Award in Cigarette Case
With emotional incitement of juries, the personal injury bar continues to draw furiously on the dwindling butt of tobacco litigation in Florida, where a preposterous and plainly unconstitutional punitive damages award of $23.6 billion — that’s billion with a “b” –was rendered July 18
UncategorizedWith Hellholes Leading the Way, Bogus Slip-and-Fall Claims Rise Nationwide
A just-released report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows that questionable slip-and-fall claims rose by 12% from 2010 through 2011, and not coincidentally many past and present Judicial Hellholes are where most of these bogus, bottom-feeding lawsuits are filed
Judicial HellholesOnce & Future ‘Judicial Hellholes’ Dominate New List of States with Highest Medical Lawsuit Payouts
According to 2011 data, the six states with the highest average payouts for medical liability lawsuits are all home to current or recently named Judicial Hellholes. Go figure
Judicial HellholesLouisiana Supreme Court Joins Growing Number of State High Courts Upholding Limits on Medical Liability Damages
Louisiana has joined the growing majority of states whose high courts have upheld statutory limits on medical liability damages awarded by juries. These limits provide greater protection for doctors, which decrease the likelihood of doctors fleeing the state, thereby, increasing patients’ access to health care and increasing the standard of care which is available.
Points of LightFlorida Bill Seeks Greater Legal Protections for Health Care Providers
Concerned by some of the highest-in-the-nation insurance premiums for physicians, a key committee in the Florida House has passed a bill that would grant greater protections for health care providers in medical liability cases
Judicial Hellholes, Points of Light