Every year The American Tort Reform Foundation publishes its Judicial Hellholes® report which highlights prominent jurisdictions across the United States with a reputation (deserved or not) for enabling questionable lawsuits, welcoming forum shopping, and expanding civil liability for defendants. 

The venues at the top of the list are the usual suspects; courts that have had the “hellhole” reputation for multiple years. This year, however, there is a tie for the worst jurisdiction for defendants in the country. Here are the top nine:

1. Georgia and The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas (tie)
2. Cook County, Illinois 
3. California
4. New York City
5. South Carolina (asbestos litigation)
6. Lansing, Michigan
7. Louisiana 
8. St. Louis

The report is available through the link to this post. Whether you agree with ATRF's rankings or not, it is always a thought-provoking read. And this is especially true for defendants who do business in multiple states.