Mississippi High Court Finds ‘Taint of Unfairness’ in $10.5 Million Verdict, Orders New Trial
On March 11, 2021, the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed a jury verdict of $10.5 million and remanded the case to the lower
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Lawsuit Connecting Plaintiffs’ Law Firm and Miss. AG’s Office in Kickback Scheme Ordered Unsealed
A lawsuit by a former partner alleging that a prominent Mississippi plaintiffs’ firm engaged in a kickback scheme to secure work through state Attorney General Jim Hood’s office has been ordered unsealed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York.
Points of LightFederal Appeals Court Upholds Mississippi’s Million-Dollar Limit on ‘Pain and Suffering’ Awards
In a victory for reasonableness, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit this week upheld Mississippi’s $1 million limit on awards for non-economic damages
Points of LightAnother Loss for Mississippi AG Jim Hood
Just days after a related good-government reform bill he fought tooth-and-nail was signed into law, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood got more bad news in the form of a state supreme court decision
Judicial HellholesATRA Lauds Mississippi’s ‘Sunshine Act’
Mississippi has now enacted a reform law that will keep present and future attorneys general and other state officials from hiring their friends and political supporters to do legal work without appropriate scrutiny and accountability
Points of LightGood News, Bad News from Mississippi Courts
First the good news. Last week a jury ruled in favor of Union Carbide, the defendant in an asbestos lawsuit that once resulted in a $322 million verdict, the largest asbestos award for a single plaintiff in U.S. history.
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightBack to His Old Pay-to-Play Ways? Mississippi AG Angers Lawmakers with Latest Outside Counsel Hire
After recently asking his political supporters to help him block pending state legislation that would cramp his pay-to-play style, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has stepped in it real good with his latest closed-door hiring of outside counsel, according to Magnolia State media folk
UncategorizedATRA Urges Mississippi AG to Debate ‘Sunshine Bill’ Honestly
Having read what he felt was a misleading campaign email sent yesterday by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, ATRA’s communications director today emailed the AG, urging him to be more “forthright” in debating the merits of the so-called Sunshine Bill, recently passed in the Mississippi House
Judicial HellholesRecord Asbestos Verdict in Mississippi Thrown Out
The $322 million verdict in a Mississippi case that would have been “as funny as ‘My Cousin Vinny’ if it weren’t for [the] terribly negative impact on the Magnolia State’s efforts to compete in attracting businesses and jobs” has been thrown out.
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightState High Court Removes ‘Automatic Hellhole’ Judge from Asbestos Case in Mississippi
Mississippi’s supreme court yesterday issued a unanimous order that removes a biased trial judge from further involvement with a record-setting asbestos case
Points of LightReasonable Limit on ‘Pain & Suffering’ Awards Working in Mississippi
A new study shows that meritless medical malpractice litigation in Mississippi has been reined in considerably by 2003 tort reforms, including the limiting of pain and suffering awards.
Points of LightState High Court Puts Mississippi’s ‘Automatic Hellhole’ Case on Hold
Mississippi’s Supreme Court has ordered a stop to all proceedings in an asbestos case that resulted in a record $322 million verdict last May.
Judicial HellholesAutomatic ‘Hellhole’
By virtue of a single verdict, rural Smith County, Mississippi has vaulted itself into contention for being named a Judicial Hellhole
Judicial HellholesATRA Again Urges Stiff Discipline for Two Asbestos Fraud Lawyers in Mississippi
To the Mississippi Bar’s credit, it has leveled a serious disciplinary complaint against two personal injury lawyers found liable last year for civil fraud in connection with asbestos lawsuits. Now, as a special tribunal prepares to hear their defense, ATRA renews its call for stiff discipline.
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