Perennial Judicial Hellhole® Among Those States Looking to Improve Civil Justice Climate
State legislatures across the country hit the ground running in 2025 as several states look to improve their civil justice
Points of Light
ATRA Urges SCOTUS to Consider Landmark Missouri Talcum Powder Case
Today, April 5, 2021, ATRA joined an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to grant a petition for certiorari in a talcum powder case that initially resulted in an
Judicial Hellholes
SCOTUS Asked to Review Landmark Missouri Talc Verdict
This week, Johnson & Johnson requested the U.S. Supreme Court review a landmark talcum powder case which resulted in the
Judicial Hellholes
Missouri Judiciary Needs to Address Efficiency Concerns
Activity in state legislatures across the country is starting to ramp up as legislators look to tackle a variety of
Judicial Hellholes
“Show Me Your Lawsuit” State Passes Significant Reform Bill to Curb Lawsuit Abuse
The Missouri legislature gave its stamp of approval to S.B. 591, sponsored by Sen. Bill White, amending the Missouri Merchandising
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Missouri Legislature Passes Some Improvements, Disappoints on Missouri Merchandising Practices Act Reform
The Missouri legislature adjourned on Friday, May 17, 2019, ending a session filled with mixed results. The legislature should be
Judicial HellholesDisappointing Legislative Session Comes to a Close in Missouri
The Missouri Legislature adjourned on the evening of Friday, May 19, 2018, without passing significant legal reform legislation. Lawmakers gave
Judicial HellholesCalifornia High Court again Defies SCOTUS, Expands Civil Liability, Enriches Plaintiffs’ Lawyers
Continuing its well established trend of expanding civil liability while disregarding U.S. Supreme Court precedent, the California Supreme Court did it again last week with its plaintiff-favoring decision in McGill v. Citibank, N.A.
Judicial HellholesMissouri’s New Governor Cites ‘Judicial Hellholes’ Report in His First ‘State of the State’ Address
Missouri’s newly minted, reform-minded Governor Eric Greitens delivered his first State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature in Jefferson City yesterday, declaring his commitment to enacting critical tort reforms as a means to improving both the state’s civil justice system and its economic prospects
Judicial Hellholes, Points of LightMissouri Invites Out-of-State Plaintiffs’ Claims against Out-of-State Defendants for Alleged Out-of-State Injuries
A decision last week by the Supreme Court of Missouri effectively rolls out a “Show Me Your Lawsuits State” welcome mat for lawsuits by out-of-state plaintiffs against out-of-state defendants over alleged out-of-state injuries
The state’s notoriously weak venue law has long allowed plaintiffs’ lawyers to shop their cases to the friendliest courts. Now there is virtually nothing stopping plaintiff’s lawyers from picking their preferred judge and jury.
Judicial Hellholes
Thanks to Governor Nixon’s Vetoes, Missouri Remains the ‘Show Me Your Lawsuits State’
Owned and operated by personal injury lawyers, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon yesterday vetoed two bipartisan tort reform bills that could have helped make civil litigation a little more fair in his notorious Judicial Hellhole
Judicial Hellholes‘Gateway to the West’ Becomes the ‘Gateway to the Courts’ for Dubious Science and High Damage Awards
St. Louis juries have twice levied hefty multi-million dollar damage awards against Johnson & Johnson since February on behalf of out of state ovarian cancer victims. Questions remain as to whether the scientific evidence supported such large verdicts. Johnson & Johnson is appealing both verdicts.
Judicial HellholesOut-of-State Plaintiff Scores $72 Million Talcum Powder Verdict in Missouri
Another outlier verdict in the “Show Me Your Lawsuits State” this week serves to further Missouri’s growing reputation among the nation’s worst Judicial Hellholes
Judicial HellholesSen. Schmitt again Expected to Sully Missouri’s Reputation as the ‘Show Me Your Lawsuits State’
The American Tort Reform Association today criticized Missouri State Senator Eric Schmitt’s continuing opposition to reform legislation aimed at reasonably limiting civil liability and thereby reducing the volume of meritless litigation that is costly to consumers and taxpayers and otherwise contributes to the state’s growing reputation as a “judicial hellhole”
Judicial HellholesA Rare ‘Point of Light’ in ‘Show Me Your Lawsuits State’
Judicial Hellholes reporters have long kept an eye on St. Louis, Missouri, one of the most plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions in the nation. So in the rare instance that a judge there is willing to take even a small stand against the reflexive expansion of civil liability, it’s worthy of kudos
Points of LightKansas Supreme Court Upholds Non-Economic Damages Limit
The Kansas Supreme Court today upheld a $250,000 limit on noneconomic damages that has been in place since 1988
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