Debating the fairness of Philly courts

One side calls Philadelphia a “judicial hellhole.” The other side says the city has among the best courts in the country. What’s your experience? Do plaintiffs have an unfair advantage? Are the courts biased against corporations?

For several years running, the American Tort Reform Association has ranked Philadelphia at the top of its list of “judicial hellholes,” saying that the court system is too friendly toward plaintiffs. A new report from Keystone Progess is hoping to paint a different picture, saying Philadelphia has “one of the finest and most successful urban trial courts in the country.”

How have Philly courts treated you as plaintiffor defendant? Tell us in the comments below.

The ATRA says that cases against corporations resulting in huge awards for plaintiffs skew civil justice, intimidating companies into early settlements out of court and forcing them to pass costs on to consumers.

Opponents like Keystone Progress dismiss the “judicial hellhole” report as propaganda and say the ATRA is just a special interest group lobbying to protect corporations from having to pay large sums to plaintiffs. 

Could this be a simple case of one special interest group against another; corporate interests v. consumer interests? What has your experience been in the court system?