legal reform
J&J plaintiffs should finally get their relief in bankruptcy court
One of the most complicated tort trials in history continues to unfold in a Texas bankruptcy court. The cases against Johnson & Johnson’s baby powder and its alleged link to illnesses caused by asbestos-contaminated talc have ground on for the better part of a decade. Finally, after years of legal wrangling, the case is poised…
Carrboro’s flimsy climate lawsuit against Duke Energy
Driving past Lake Norman over Thanksgiving weekend, I was once again struck by the fact that this body of water helps power millions of homes across the region and in the state of North Carolina. Using water from the lake to feed the towering condensers, the two nuclear reactors at McGuire Nuclear Station generate over…
Class action hunters take aim at Australia
In line with common law tradition, the class action system was set up in Australia to address wrongs and deliver justice for ordinary people. But because of a lack of action from politicians and policymakers, it has instead funnelled rivers of gold to faceless foreign investors with a stake in gaming the system. It’s become…
Diddy Will Face Justice, but This Legal Tactic Needs Reform
After Texas trial attorney Tony Buzbee took to a podium in October to reveal he had gathered 120 victims to sue Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs, it unleashed a flood of more allegations against the billionaire rapper and record executive. There are now close to two dozen civil lawsuits pending against Combs in both federal and state courts, along with…
Lawfare is bleeding the economy
It’s perplexing that Australian policymakers would roll out the red carpet for those who oppose the resources sector — the very industry that drives and powers national prosperity. Why kneecap your own champions that fund your successful industry? The single most egregious example of this economic self-harm is so-called “lawfare”; the gaming of the legal…
Johnson & Johnson’s ‘Texas Two Step’ Needs a Conclusion
One of the most followed corporate trials of the decade is drawing nearer to a close. Johnson & Johnson’s Red River Talc subsidiary in Texas filed a third time for bankruptcy in the Southern District of Texas while a majority of affected plaintiffs have indicated they wish to settle. With more than 75 percent of plaintiffs on board, this…
Consumers dudded by secret class action suits
We are no strangers to settling our problems in court. Indeed, it is a core function of citizens in free societies. Staffed by esteemed judges and sometimes juries, people who believe they’ve been wronged can take their claims before a neutral tribunal to plead their case in hopes of a positive outcome and settlement, whether…
Gambling on Lawsuits: New Industry or Threat to the Fairness of Our Courts?
As the 2024 election grinds on, you’ll hear a lot more about the online betting markets which have become all the rage amongst politicos and statisticians. These days, you can bet on election outcomes and even the weather. But should you be able to gamble on courtroom verdicts? That is essentially what’s happening within a new trend of litigation finance…
Give Lawsuit Plaintiffs the Final Say, Not Lawyers Hungry for More Cash
In a protracted eight-year-long legal battle, lawsuits against pharmaceutical and beauty giant Johnson & Johnson seem to be finally coming to a resolution. These cases have been some of the largest and most expensive in recent history and are providing memorable lessons for companies, consumers, and legal firms as to how massive claims can be best adjudicated…
Trial Lawyer Marketing Machine Needs a Reboot
If you ask most Americans when it’s time to call a lawyer, the answer is no mystery: after a law has been broken, you’re forced to do so. Just as we don’t ask doctors to prescribe medicine before we’re sick, most people don’t pay for lawyers and then go commit crimes. Trial lawyers, however, might…