The Worst Place to Get Sued Is…
Philadelphia tops the American Tort Reform Foundation's annual list of 'judicial hellholes.' But hey--it's also got the Liberty Bell, cheesesteak sandwiches and the "Rocky steps," so it can't be all bad.
December 11, 2019 at 11:58 AM
2 minute read
Another fun report came out on Tuesday—the American Tort Reform Foundation's annual list of judicial hellholes.
This year's "winner" is the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, home of the $8 billion Risperdal product liability verdict against Johnson & Johnson.
"Mass tort cases have inundated the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas due to judges' loose application of venue laws, a reputation for high jury verdicts, and an overall lack of legal reform," the report states. "Trial lawyers spend millions of dollars on television advertisements to increase the pressure on defendants to settle cases. The city also remains one of the preferred jurisdictions for asbestos litigation."
On the plus side, Philly also has the Liberty Bell, cheesesteak sandwiches and the "Rocky steps," so it can't be all bad.
The entire state of California is ranked second-worst. The Golden State is "a magnet for class action lawsuits, and given the courts' and legislature's anti-arbitration stance, it is not expected to improve. In addition, California has adopted expansive employment law liability that is expected to lead to extensive lawsuit abuse," the report says.
California also has 40 million people and a $3 trillion economy, so good luck avoiding litigating there. Also, the weather is usually nice.
New York City comes in third. "New York trial lawyers continue to target small businesses with American with Disabilities Act claims, and the number of consumer lawsuits filed against the food and beverage industry remain on the rise," the tort reform group said.
For more on the hellholes/a.k.a. the same places you'd want to visit or live (except for No. 8 Oklahoma), see this story by my colleague Amanda Bronstad: Philadelphia Court Tops 'Judicial Hellholes' List
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