LLAW PRESS ROOM

New Report Shows Toll of Civil Court Costs on Louisiana’s economy

Costs result in significant losses to Louisiana families, businesses, and tax rolls;

More than $2 billion in savings projected with additional legal reforms

Baton Rouge, LA — Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) today released the 2021 Impact of Tort Costs and the Potential Economic Benefits of Tort Reform, an assessment measuring the impact of excessive civil court costs on Louisiana’s economy. Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) commissioned John Dunham & Associates (JDA) to conduct analysis on these impacts and the potential economic benefits of tort reform in Louisiana.

Louisiana Trial Lawyers Lead State to No. 4 Judicial Hellhole Ranking

WASHINGTON – Louisiana ranks near the top of the nation’s Judicial Hellholes at No. 4 in 2019 because of the involvement of contingency-fee lawyers in parish coastal lawsuits, the legislature’s failure to address the high cost of auto insurance caused by lawsuit abuse, and judicial misconduct plaguing the state.

Louisiana Lawsuit Climate Ranked Nation’s 2nd Worst

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C.— Louisiana’s lawsuit climate ranks 49th—the second-worst in the nation—in a new national survey released today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). In the survey, New Orleans/Orleans Parish’s legal climate ranks as one of the ten worst local jurisdictions in the nation.

Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch names Lana Sonnier Venable as Executive Director

BATON ROUGE, LA (JULY 9, 2018 )— Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) has announced that Lana Sonnier Venable will become its next Executive Director. LLAW is a local non-partisan, nonprofit, citizen watchdog group dedicated to stopping lawsuit abuse that hurts Louisiana’s families and threatens local businesses and jobs.

Louisiana earns top “judicial hellhole” ranking again

BATON ROUGE, LA (Dec. 5, 2017)— Louisiana is still one of the nation’s worst Judicial Hellholes®, according to a new report released today by the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF). The state has been singled out for unbalanced courts and excessive litigation eight years in a row and ranked as the nation’s eighth-worst Judicial Hellhole this year.

LLAW Statement Regarding U.S. Supreme Court’s Refusal to Revive Levee Board Lawsuit

BATON ROUGE, LA (Oct. 30, 2017) – Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch Executive Director Melissa Landry issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to revive the lawsuit filed by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East (SLFPA-E):

LLAW Statement Regarding U.S. Supreme Court’s Refusal to Revive Levee Board Lawsuit

Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week—A Time to Reflect on Where We Are and Where We Need to Go

Every October, Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch joins legal reform groups from across the country to promote a national dialogue about the devastating impact frivolous lawsuits have on our courts and our economy. The goal is to encourage citizens and lawmakers to take action to reform our legal system.

Legal Reform Advocates Comment on Louisiana’s Poor Ranking in National Lawsuit Climate Survey

BATON ROUGE, LA (September 12, 2017)— Legal reform advocates from Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) and the Coalition for Common Sense (CCS) issued the following statements today in response to the release of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s 2017 Lawsuit Climate Survey, where Louisiana’s legal environment ranked 50th—the worst in the nation.

Gov. Edwards’ good ol’ boy approach to litigation lands Louisiana on U.S. ‘Judicial Hellholes’ list

BATON ROUGE, LA— Gov. John Bel Edwards’ controversial push to hire his top campaign supporters to represent the state in lawsuits potentially worth billions of dollars earned Louisiana a spot on the American Tort Reform Foundation’s (ATRF) annual “Judicial Hellholes” list.

Gov. John Bel Edwards caught handing out big contracts to top donors

BATON ROUGE — On August 12, the rain started falling and the rivers started rising, and floodwaters soon washed over much of Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes.

New Report Details Unintended Consequences of Louisiana’s Consumer Protection Laws, Recommends Reforms

BATON ROUGE, LA (Jan. 29, 2016)— Local and national legal experts discussed key findings from a new report, “The Costs and Consequences of the Louisiana Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (LUTPA),” at a roundtable event co-hosted today by the Coalition for Common Sense (CCS), Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) and the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA).

Louisiana named one of the nation’s top “Judicial Hellholes” again

BATON ROUGE, LA (Dec. 17, 2015)— Louisiana courts are among the worst in the country, and they have been singled out for a lack of balance and excessive litigation. The Pelican State is the sixth-worst in the country for abusive lawsuits, according to the newly released Judicial Hellholes® report from the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA).

DIRTY DOZEN: Top 12 Trial Lawyer-Backed Legislative Candidates

Wealthy personal injury lawyers spend millions on fancy cars and private jets. They also spent over $300,000 on these legislative candidates who they hope will help to advance their pro-lawsuit, job-killing agenda at the State Capitol next year. With polls opening in less than 24 hours, voters should keep in mind who the plaintiffs’ bar is supporting and why.

VIDEO: Dardenne, Vitter Address Lawsuit Reform at Gubernatorial Forum

BATON ROUGE, LA (Oct. 15, 2015)—Republican gubernatorial candidates Jay Dardenne and David Vitter discussed challenges facing Louisiana’s civil justice system at a forum hosted by Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) and the Coalition for Common Sense (CCS) on Tuesday in Baton Rouge.

Campaign Finance Investigation Reveals Plaintiffs’ Trial Lawyers Are the Biggest Political Contributors in Louisiana

Trial lawyer-backed super PACs spending heavily in the 2015 governor’s race LAFAYETTE, LA (Sept. 29, 2015)—A Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch (LLAW) investigation into campaign contributions to elected officials reveals trial lawyers, as a whole, spent more than any other special interest group to steer elections across the state.

Legal reform needs are in the background for now, as state budget woes dominate the start of the legislative session

With a $1.6 billion state budget shortfall to address, there is no question that lawmakers are primarily focused on fiscal issues as the 2015 Louisiana Legislative Session starts out.

Attorney General’s new litigation scheme shows the “Buddy System” is still operating in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE – Despite fierce criticism from lawmakers and legal reform groups in recent years, Louisiana Attorney General James “Buddy” Caldwell is continuing his questionable practice of hiring outside attorneys to pursue litigation on behalf of the state, primarily relying on well-connected law firms that have donated tens of thousands of dollars to his political campaign.

Oil spill settlement makes lawyers, administrators rich while disaster victims await payments [Infographic]

BATON ROUGE, LA- Nearly five years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, a legal watchdog group is calling into question who is benefiting most from the unprecedented class action settlement set up to compensate victims in the aftermath of the 2010 oil spill.

Federal judge dismisses massive coastal lawsuit

BATON ROUGE, LA— Melissa, Landry, executive director of Louisiana Lawsuit Abuse Watch, issued the following statement about U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown’s decision to dismiss the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East’s (SLFPA-E) lawsuit against dozens of oil and gas companies: