Madison - St. Clair News

Recent News About Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch

• Madison County inching closer to 'Hellhole' status

  By Travis Akin | Sunday, Dec 19, 2010 @ 2:26am

  Akin The release of the annual "Judicial Hellholes," report has once again delivered some bad news for Madison and St. Clair Counties.

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• ATRA: Madison County and St. Clair counties' asbestos dockets earn spot on 'Watch List'

  By Ann Knef | Tuesday, Dec 14, 2010 @ 3:25am

  Murnane Madison County's soaring asbestos docket has earned the court a spot on the American Tort Reform Association's (ATRA) "Judicial Hellhole" Watch List.

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• Strong reaction follows medical malpractice reform overturn

  By Ann Knef | Thursday, Feb 4, 2010 @ 5:46am

  Fitzgerald In a 4-2 opinion, the Illinois Supreme Court has overturned the state's medical malpractice reform law.

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• Tort reformers react to Madison and St. Clair counties watchlist designation

  By Ann Knef | Tuesday, Dec 15, 2009 @ 10:58am

  Murnane During the peak of its asbestos and class action filings, Madison County for three years straight was considered the No. 1 "Judicial Hellhole" in the nation.

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• Cook County is the new Madison County

  By Travis Akin | Sunday, Nov 15, 2009 @ 6:38am

  Akin Residents of Madison County know all too well what can happen when a local court jurisdiction becomes an attractive destination for personal injury lawyers trying to hit the lawsuit lottery. For years, Madison County had a well-deserved reputation as the nation's worst "judicial hellhole."

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• Study shows high cost of lawsuits in Cook County

  By Amelia Flood | Thursday, Nov 12, 2009 @ 8:00am

  Akin A lawsuit watchdog group has released a study showing Cook County spends nearly $70 million a year in litigation costs.

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• Illinois mayors issue proclamations against lawsuit abuse, I-LAW says

  By Ann Knef | Monday, Oct 19, 2009 @ 11:27am

  Akin Mayors from across Illinois are joining Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) to officially declare Oct. 19-23 "Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week" in Illinois and are calling on citizens to recognize the tremendous burden lawsuits place on taxpayers and consumers.

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• Southern Illinois mayors part of 'Sick of Lawsuits' campaign

  By Staff reports | Thursday, Oct 1, 2009 @ 3:46am

  MARION - The Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) organization announced its involvement in a new campaign featuring two southern Illinois mayors who denounce lawsuit abuse.

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• Testimony begins tomorrow on tort reform bills

  By Amelia Flood | Monday, May 4, 2009 @ 7:45am

  Murnane Proponents of civil justice reform are set to testify in support of several bills tomorrow at a joint hearing of the General Assembly's Senate and House Judiciary Committees.

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• I-LAW urges reform and opposition to trial lawyer bill

  By Ann Knef | Thursday, Mar 26, 2009 @ 1:00pm

  Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) is beginning a grassroots campaign to get meaningful lawsuit reforms passed, which will in turn create a more favorable job creation climate, said its executive director Travis Akin.

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• Trial lawyers ask Obama to expand product liability

  By Chris Rizo | Monday, Jan 12, 2009 @ 8:00am

  President-elect Obama WASHINGTON - A leading national group of trial lawyers Monday called on President-elect Barack Obama to repeal a bevy of regulations that limit corporate liability.

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• Madison, St. Clair counties remain on 'Hellhole' watch list; St. Louis named, too

  By John O'Brien | Tuesday, Dec 16, 2008 @ 3:00am

  WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) - Madison County may have moved off the American Tort Reform Foundation's annual list of judicial hellholes, but it -- and surrounding areas -- are still being watched.

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• Illinois justices consider constitutionality of medical malpractice caps

  By Chris Rizo | Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008 @ 5:51am

  Illinois Supreme Court If the Illinois Supreme Court decides to strike down limits on medical malpractice awards it could mean fewer doctors practicing in the state, sources said.

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• I-LAW observes 'lawsuit abuse' week Oct.6-10

  By The Madison County Record | Monday, Oct 6, 2008 @ 12:45am

  Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW) is encouraging citizens to stay informed and get involved in the fight to change the state's legal climate.

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• Tort reform groups hail demise of Structural Work Act

  By Ann Knef | Tuesday, Jun 3, 2008 @ 10:50am

  Murnane Civil justice reform advocates cheered as an anti-business proposal was exiled to the House Rules Committee on the last day of the state legislature's spring session.

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• Harris Poll ranks Illinois 46 out of 50; Madison County improved

  By Ann Knef | Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008 @ 2:48am

  Donohue Madison County's judicial system has improved, according to a national survey of corporate lawyers, but Illinois remains among the worst legal climates in the nation.

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• Health consumer 'Googlers': Know thy source, cautions I-LAW

  By Ann Knef | Wednesday, Jan 30, 2008 @ 11:52pm

  Akin When health consumers search the Internet, they may be getting medical advice from personal injury lawyers – not doctors, according to a new report.

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• Madison County ascends from ATRA's 'hellhole'

  By Ann Knef | Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007 @ 3:00am

  Callis For the first time since the American Tort Reform Association started ranking the nation's most unfair civil court jurisdictions, Madison County no longer makes the list.

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• I-LAW gets city leaders to help fight frivolous lawsuits

  By Ann Knef | Thursday, Sep 27, 2007 @ 5:21am

  Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch (I-LAW), a grassroots legal watchdog group, is meeting with local leaders across the state to spread the word about the need to stop lawsuit abuse.

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• Tackle this frivolous lawsuit

  By The Madison County Record | Sunday, Sep 2, 2007 @ 4:24am

  To the editor:

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