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Health & Fitness

Lawsuit abuse a way of life in Cook County

The verdict is in and Cook County is one of the worst local jurisdictions in the country for legal fairness, according to the newly released “Judicial Hellholes” report from the American Tort Reform Foundation (ATRF). 

ATRF defines a “Judicial Hellhole” as “a place where judges systematically apply laws and court procedures in an unfair and unbalanced manner.” According to the 2013 report, Cook County was placed on the “Watch List,” which ATRF describes as “jurisdictions that bear watching due to their histories of abusive litigation and which run the risk of dropping into the hellholes abyss.”

Cook County has long been viewed as the “Lawsuit Abuse Capital of the U.S.,” ranking as the “worst local jurisdiction for legal fairness in the nation” according to a recent report from the non-partisan Harris Research Company. 

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County’s status as one of the country’s worst ‘judicial hellholes’ makes it difficult to attract jobs and opportunities to Chicagoland, because businesses look to move to places where the legal system is fair, and having the most unfair lawsuit climate in the country is clearly keeping businesses and the jobs they bring from moving to Cook County.

The current unemployment rate in the Chicago region is 9.1 percent, higher than the statewide average of 8.9 percent. From June 2012 to June 2013, just 38 of 372 metropolitan areas nationwide experienced increases in the unemployment rate. In Illinois, 6 of 10 metropolitan area, including the Chicago metropolitan region, had increases.

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There is a broken court system in Cook County that is creating lawsuits, not jobs. Judges here need to take steps to restore fairness and common sense to Cook County courts. Such reforms are a necessary ingredient to job growth and job creation.

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