The $12 billion appeal bond case talked about a number of times in The Indiana Law Blog, most recently here, is just one of many plaintiffs' cases filed in the Madison County, Illinois courts. The St Louis Post-Dispatch reported here last Thursday on the popularity of these courts with plaintiffs' attorneys. The story begins:
Lawyers hoping to capitalize on Madison County's reputation as a "plaintiff's paradise" will be looking closely at a ruling issued Thursday by the Illinois Supreme Court.In a case involving a 1997 collision in Macoupin County between a truck of Union Pacific Railroad and a tractor of a private individual, the justices overturned lower court rulings that the case be heard in Madison County. The Supreme Court said a judge must consider more than just where a plaintiff would like the case heard. Judges must also weigh other factors, such as where the event that led to the suit occurred and where the parties live or work. * * *
The Madison County Courthouse has garnered nationwide attention for what critics call its reputation as a "plaintiff's paradise." The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other organizations sent representatives to the courthouse in June to unveil the "Madison County Manifesto," which calls on local judges to tamp down on what the groups perceive as lawsuit abuse.
The story also provides a link to the Illinois Supreme Court opinion - it may be accessed here.
An AP story from the same day is here.
Posted by Marcia Oddi at August 24, 2003 05:38 PM