jackpot justice

jackpot justice
(JAK.pawt JUS.tus)
n.
The practice of awarding huge monetary settlements to plaintiffs in court cases.
Example Citation:
The Mississippi Legislature is fighting over reforming the state's judicial system, long ruled, many say, by a fraternity of trial lawyer graduates of the Ole Miss school of law. Similar "tort reform" battles are being waged across the nation, and Congress is expected to enter the fray soon. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has warned companies about doing business in Mississippi, calling the state the "lawsuit mecca of America." Corporate lawyers believe "jackpot justice" is so bad there that they rate its civil litigation system the worst in the nation, according to a Harris poll this year.
— Tom Wilemon, Beth Musgrave, "Lawyers' influence over judges probed," The Charlotte Observer, November 3, 2002
Earliest Citation:
The liability insurance crisis has produced a new movement — as
emotionally charged as civil rights and feminism in prior decades — that seeks to change the way the nation's courts decide personal-injury claims...Typical criticism of the present system comes from Constance Heckman, who refers to it as "jackpot justice" because it encourages people to file multimillion-dollar lawsuits, regardless of the actual harm or loss suffered.
— Glen Elsasser, "Ballots reflecting insurance revolt proposals unlikely to stop movement," Chicago Tribune, October 27, 1986
Related Words: Categories:

New words. 2013.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • United States — a republic in the N Western Hemisphere comprising 48 conterminous states, the District of Columbia, and Alaska in North America, and Hawaii in the N Pacific. 267,954,767; conterminous United States, 3,022,387 sq. mi. (7,827,982 sq. km); with… …   Universalium

  • The Aggrovators — Datos generales Origen Jamaica Información artística …   Wikipedia Español

  • jury nullification — (JOOR.ee nul.uh.fuh.KAY.shun) n. The act of a jury finding a person not guilty because they believe the law under which the defendant was charged is unfair, misguided, or not applicable. jury nullifier n. Example Citation: A measure on the South… …   New words

  • Haley Barbour — Infobox Governor name= Haley Barbour caption= order=63rd office= Governor of Mississippi term start= January 13, 2004 term end= lieutenant= Amy Tuck (2004 2008) Phil Bryant (2008 present) predecessor= Ronnie Musgrove successor=Incumbent birth… …   Wikipedia

  • Victim of Modern Age — was a musical group originating circa 2002 in Lake Charles, Louisiana After recording their first EP Self titled, the band was scooped up by Philadelphia Indie Label Universal Warning Records in 2001. The contract put them in touch with… …   Wikipedia

  • CSI effect — n. The unrealistically high expectations some jurors have for the prosecution s case in a criminal court proceeding, particularly when those expectations are created by exposure to forensic oriented TV shows. Also: CSI factor, CSI syndrome.… …   New words

  • Law and Order — avoision brain fingerprinting browsewrap click wrap copicide copyfighter copyfraud copyleft …   New words

  • Money — 419 scam affluenza alpha boomer alpha earner appraisal mill bad debt art bid shielding BIY …   New words

  • casino culture — n. A culture in which low percentage money making schemes such as high tech stocks, day trading, lotteries, and domain name speculation become mainstream investment vehicles. Example Citation: For only the second time in my life, I feel I just… …   New words

  • hot-tubbing — pp. At a trial, convening a panel of expert witnesses who can discuss issues together as well as be questioned by defense and prosecution lawyers. Also: hot tubbing. Example Citations: As the commission was turned over to a panel of planning… …   New words

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”