Show-Me State ranks 4th on ‘judicial hellholes’ list

The American Tort Reform Association this week ranked Missouri fourth in the country on its list of so-called “judicial hellholes.”

Released since 2002, the list analyzes what the foundation considers to be unfair handling of civil litigation, according to a news release.

In Missouri, which the foundation nicknames “Show-Me Your Lawsuits State,” the list indicates a reputation for the striking down of civil justice reforms, the ability to insert improper science as testimony and a judicial nominating process that is often unfair.

“The facts cited in ATRA’s report are all too familiar to those of us who are fighting to right Missouri’s unbalanced civil justice system at the state capitol and in the courts,” said Dan Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in a separate news release. “Our inaction toward addressing basic, common-sense tort reforms in Missouri is gaining national attention and that is costing our state jobs and opportunity.”

Among its legislative priorities for the upcoming session, the state chamber is calling for Missouri to:
    •    align its discrimination standards with federal law;
    •    make civil lawsuits capped at a “reasonable” level;
    •    eliminate the joint and several liability standard, an incentive the chamber says can add expensive litigation costs to businesses; and
    •    ensure only qualified professionals are allowed to testify as expert witnesses in court cases.