NFIB State Director Leah Long says the American Tort Reform Foundation’s latest Judicial Hellholes report underscores the need for legislative action to balance the scales of justice in Louisiana.

Louisiana coastal litigation placed fourth on the foundation’s list of Judicial Hellholes. The report said, “This year, the first case in the never-ending coastal litigation went to trial and resulted in an astounding nine-figure nuclear verdict. Louisiana plaintiffs’ lawyers have cozied up to state leaders, and the courts are filled with political bias.”

Long said, “Louisiana’s Judicial Hellholes ranking is a warning sign for every small business in our state, not just those along the coast.

“When politically driven lawsuits produce runaway verdicts, the ripple effects hit job creators everywhere through higher costs, reduced investment, and greater economic uncertainty,” she said. “Small businesses depend on fair, predictable courts to grow and hire, and this kind of litigation climate undermines that confidence.

“The legislature has done a lot already to address rising litigation and insurance costs in the state, but this report shows there is still more that should be done to restore balance and accountability to our legal system.”

Click here to read the American Tort Reform Foundation’s full report.