HomeState Lawsuit Climates

Illinois

Ranking

2012 46
2010 45
2008 46

Lawsuit Climate

Illinois ranks 46th among all fifty states in the fairness of its litigation environment.

Read Press Release: Illinois’ Lawsuit Climate Ranks Among Nation’s Worst

View Illinois' detailed ranking (pdf)

View all state rankings

Videos

U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue on Illinois: The Lawsuit Capitol of the World

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Land of Lincoln?  Try Land of Lawsuits.  U.S. Chamber President and CEO Tom Donohue discusses a new national survey -- released by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) -- which finds that Illinois’ lawsuit climate is among the worst in the country at number 46. The survey respondents also named two Illinois counties as among the worst jurisdictions in the country; Cook County was named as the most unfair and unreasonable jurisdiction and Madison Country was named the sixth most unfair county.

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Sep 10, 2012

Is Lawsuit Abuse Causing Your State to Lose the Race for Jobs and Growth?

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Every state is a rider in the race for jobs and economic growth.  But too many states are pulling the dead-weight of lawsuit abuse, dragging down their economy and making jobs harder to find.

Is lawsuit abuse slowing down your state?  Find out today at InstituteforLegalReform.com.

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Sep 10, 2012

Who are the Faces of Lawsuit Abuse? The Blitz USA Plant in Miami, OK

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Who are the faces of lawsuit abuse? They're the people who have lost their jobs because of run away lawsuits that can cripple state economies and that take a terrible toll on families. Does your state have a lawsuit abuse problem? Find out in a new study that ranks all 50 states at FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.com.

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Sep 10, 2012

Research: Illinois

Federalism,The Framers, and Federal Legal Reform: Setting the Record Straight

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has released this paper, which examines the relevant precedents and principles regarding federal efforts at legal reform.

Stopping the Sale on Lawsuits: A Proposal to Regulate Third Party Investments in Litigation

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has released this proposal to establish a robust oversight regime to govern Third Party Litigation Financing at the federal level. LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
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Land Rush: The Latest Legal Frontier of Unclaimed Property Enforcement and Litigation

This paper, released by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, explores the legal tensions and business risks created by the recent approach to unclaimed property in the life insurance industry and suggests a way forward for a balanced compliance regime rooted in established law and industry best practices. LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
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The Exclusion Illusion: Fixing a Flawed Health Care Fraud Enforcement System

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform released this paper regarding the federal government’s efforts to prosecute fraud against the government in health care. In the last decade, the annual fines imposed on pharmaceutical companies alone have increased 813 percent and approached a total of $25 billion in health care fraud recoveries, with more promised for 2012.  A deeper examination of these numbers suggests that that there are significant problems with current enforcement of anti-fraud statutes LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
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The Trial Lawyers' New Merger Tax: Corporate Mergers and the Mega Million-Dollar Litigation Toll on Our Economy

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has released this paper, which analyzes the remarkable litigation explosion surrounding mergers and acquisitions.  LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
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Legal Limbo: Seeking Clarity in How and When the Department of Justice Declines to Prosecute

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform released this paper, which addresses the need for change and improvement in the process by which the Department of Justice (“DOJ” or “the Department”) notifies subjects of its investigations that matters have been closed with no prosecution and in how the Department documents publicly the generic reasons behind these decisions. LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
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Stopping the Sale on Lawsuits: A Proposal to Regulate Third-Party Investments in Litigation

The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has released this proposal to establish a robust oversight regime to govern Third Party Litigation Financing at the federal level. LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Oct 24, 2012
Download Now

101 Ways To Improve State Legal Systems

This user's guide to promoting fair and effective civil justice provides policymakers with a compilation of some of the many avenues available to fostering a sound legal system that promotes states’ economies. The reforms are organized into five areas. The first section highlights five reforms that have gained momentum and should be of particular interest to state legislators. The report then considers fair and effective measures that would improve the litigation process, improve product liability law, promote rational liability rules, and rein in excessive damage awards. LEARN MORE »

Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Released: Sep 13, 2012
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Litigating in the Field of Dreams: Asbestos Cases in Madison County, Illinois

The Madison County asbestos litigation story involves the creation of a national clearinghouse for asbestos malignancy claims by first suspending normal rules about which courts should hear these cases, and second, by adopting procedures to facilitate the “processing” of large numbers of those claims. These factors combine to facilitate the process of extracting maximum value from the defendants. LEARN MORE »

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Oct 27, 2010
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Litigating in the Field of Dreams: Asbestos Cases in Madison County, Illinois

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Harold Kim, Senior Vice President at the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, discusses the paper "Litigating in the Field of Dreams," which analyzes asbestos litigation trends in the perennially problematic jurisdiction of Madison County, IL.

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Oct 27, 2010

U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue comments on Illinois' lawsuit climate

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U.S. Chamber President Tom Donohue comments on Illinois' lawsuit climate in light of the 2010 State Liability Systems Ranking Study, which explores how reasonable & balanced the states’ tort liability systems are perceived to be by U.S. business.

Source: Institute for Legal Reform
Released: Mar 22, 2010
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Illinois State Organizations

Illinois Campaign for Legal Reform
This campaign of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform has been established to provide the latest information on activities and events related to our goal of reforming Illinois' legal system.

Illinois State Chamber of Commerce
The Illinois Chamber is the state's oldest, largest broad-based business advocacy group.

Illinois Civil Justice League
The Illinois Civil Justice League is a coalition of Illinois citizens, small and large businesses, associations, professional societies, not-for-profit organizations and local governments that have joined together to work for fairness in the Illinois civil justice system.

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