The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review a Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision regarding general jurisdiction for corporations based outside of the Commonwealth. In Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway Company, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court correctly ruled that “mere registration to conduct business within the Commonwealth did not subject the foreign company to general personal jurisdiction in Pennsylvania.”…
Coalition Updates: Business
Primary Election Candidate List Finalized for Governor, U.S. Senate
The list of candidates that will appear on the ballot for governor and U.S. Senate in the upcoming May Primary Election has been finalized. The 2022 election cycle features open races for both positions. The deadline for candidates to file their petitions with the Pennsylvania Department of State was last week. In the gubernatorial race, current state…
Governor Proposes Spending Increases in Final Budget Plan, Legislative Republicans Concerned Over Steep Price Tag
Earlier this week, Gov. Tom Wolf unveiled his final budget proposal before a joint session of the state House and Senate. The $43.7 billion plan includes a 16.62 percent increase in state spending over the current fiscal year. As with his previous budget proposals, the bulk of the governor’s spending requests would go toward education and…
Health Provider, Physicians Targeted in Suit Over Delays in Medical Treatment Due to COVID-19
A lawsuit has been filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s Federal Court against Wellpath Care and physicians alleging harm from delays in medical treatment due, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wellpath delivers medical, mental, and behavioral healthcare services to patients located in inpatient and residential treatment facilities, civil commitment centers, and local, state, and federal correctional…
PCCJR Joins Coalition Opposing ALI’s Proposed Restatement of Consumer Contracts Law
The Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) joined a broad coalition last week in urging the American Law Institute (ALI) to not approve a proposed Restatement of the Law for Consumer Contracts. The proposed changes would recommend a different set of legal rules to govern contracts between a business and a consumer. By way of…
PCCJR Opposes Attempt to Quintuple Damage Amounts in Consumer Litigation
Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) opposed an effort in the state House to significantly increase the minimum award amount for violations of the Unfair Trade Practices Act/Consumer Protection Law. The proposal was brought forth in an amendment to H.B. 1594. The amendment would have raised the minimum amount that can be awarded from…