California just missed being labeled a "judicial hellhole" by the American Tort Reform Foundation, a business-backed group that lobbies for changes in the laws and procedures governing lawsuits that allege injuries.
Instead, the state was placed on the organization's "watch list" for what the Washington-based organization termed "poorly reasoned California court decisions (that) have placed the state's citizens and business owners in jeopardy."
It did not specify what those decisions were, but added, "California businesses are concerned that they will be unfairly hit with consumer and disabled-access lawsuits by those who have chosen litigation as a lifestyle. Plaintiffs' lawyers have gamed the system to take advantage of procedural rules, and brand-name product manufacturers find themselves on the hook for injuries from competing generic products."
The six worst jurisdictions for defendants in lawsuits, ATRF said, are New York City and New Mexico's appellate courts, both of which are new to the list, and "perennials" South Florida, West Virginia, Illinois' Cook County and Atlantic County, NJ.
Although California made the watch list, the organization added, "Our report also applauds courts in several states that held the line on damages for 'emotional harm,' and we otherwise appreciatively cite recent positive court rulings in California, Maryland, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin."
The full report may be found here.
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