Counties in Nevada and New Jersey were added to the American Tort Reform Association's list of "Judicial Hellholes"–a description that was disputed by a consumer group.
The Washington, D.C.-based ATRA added Clark County, Nev., and Atlantic County, N.J., to its list of six places the association says are "among the nation's most unfair civil court jurisdictions."
Rounding out the list, in order, are:
o South Florida
o Rio Grande Valley and Gulf Coast, Texas
o Cook County, Ill.
o West Virginia
Nevada and New Jersey counties were ranked fifth and sixth, respectively.
The report said that Madison County, Ill., was dropped from the Hellhole list and placed on its watch list.
Sherman Joyce, president of ATRA, said in a statement that Madison County was dropped from the list because two judges there "have undertaken several positive reforms" which justify moving the county from the list.
The New York-based Center for Justice & Democracy called the report "dishonest and unfair, with apparently no other point than to undermine the independence of our judges and juries."
The association was critical of the report because they say its findings are based on a survey of ATRA's own members who include "some of America's worst industries–tobacco, insurance, chemical and pharmaceutical–that have a direct financial stake in restricting lawsuits when they injure or kill someone."
"This report is complete nonsense filled with anecdotal stories and media quotes, perpetuating myths that ATRA itself creates," said Joanne Doroshow, executive director for CJ&D, in a statement.
The full report is available at www.atra.org.
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