Month: September 2012

Wisconsin Supreme Court Review and Preview

Posted on by Hamilton

The Madison Federalist Society will hold a luncheon program on Thursday, September 27 titled, “Wisconsin Supreme Court Review and Preview.”

The speaker will be Prof. Rick Esenberg, who is an adjunct law professor at Marquette Law School and President and General Counsel of the public interest law firm, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty.

Prof. Esenberg will review the more noteworthy decisions from the Supreme Court’s 2011-12 term, and will preview a few important cases that will be before the Court in its 2012-13 term.

The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Madison Club. The cost is $20 for non-Federalist Society members, and $15 for Federalist Society members, and includes lunch.

Email Andrew Cook if you are interested in attending the event.

Poll: 9 out 10 Say Lawsuit Abuse Is a Problem

Posted on by Hamilton

A recent poll conducted by the American Tort Reform Association and the grassroots Sick of Lawsuits released a national survey finding that a strong majority of people believe lawsuit abuse hurts economic growth, job creation, and U.S. competitiveness.

Below are a few specific findings from the poll:

  • 89 percent surveyed think that lawsuit abuse is a problem (34 percent say a “major problem,” 35 percent  say a “big problem,” and 21 percent say a “minor problem”). Only five percent say lawsuit abuse is not a problem at all.
  • 60 percent believe that the number of lawsuits filed against businesses has hurt the U.S. economy.
  • Nearly four of five surveyed (78 percent) believe there are too many lawsuits, with 8 percent thinking there are too few, and 3 percent who say there are about the right amount.

Click here to read the entire study.

Wisconsin’s Lawsuit Climate Ranking Increases Thanks to Tort Reforms Enacted in 2011-12

Posted on by Hamilton

Wisconsin moved up seven spots, from No. 22 to No. 15, in the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s latest lawsuit climate study: 2012 State Liability Systems Survey, Lawsuit Climate: Ranking the States.[1] The survey of over 1100 corporate attorneys and executives focused on a number of criteria, including each state’s overall treatment of tort and contract litigation, treatment of class action lawsuits, damages, and judges’ impartiality.

“Thanks to the significant tort reforms enacted during last session by the Wisconsin Legislature and Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin’s litigation climate has improved and the state is a better place to do business,” said Bill G. Smith, President of the Wisconsin Civil Justice Council (WCJC) and Wisconsin Director of the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB).

The first bill introduced was comprehensive tort reform legislation, which eventually became 2011 Wisconsin Act 2. The legislation brought Wisconsin back into the mainstream and overturned a number of negative decisions issued by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in the 2005-06 term.

During Gov. Walker’s second special session in the fall of 2011, the Legislature enacted three more substantive tort reforms.[2] Continue reading “Wisconsin’s Lawsuit Climate Ranking Increases Thanks to Tort Reforms Enacted in 2011-12” →