When the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rescinded the venue rule governing medical liability cases, it included a provision requiring the Civil Procedural Rules Committee to reexamine the rule change two years after its January 1, 2023 effective date. Although the court did not request comments from stakeholders for this review, The Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice…
Coalition Updates: Community
New Report: Rising Medical Liability Costs a Contributing Factor to Imminent Health Care Crisis in Pennsylvania
As previously predicted, rising medical liability costs – fueled in part by the Supreme Court’s reversal of Pennsylvania’s med mal venue rule – are negatively impacting hospitals throughout the Commonwealth. A recent report commissioned by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania found that the state is headed towards a health care crisis if the…
PCCJR Sounds the Alarm Against Proposed State False Claims Act
In response to Governor Josh Shapiro’s call for the General Assembly to enact a state False Claims Act in his recent budget address, the Pennsylvania Coalition for Civil Justice Reform (PCCJR) held a press conference Wednesday morning to draw attention to the harmful consequences such a law could have for the Commonwealth’s health care providers and small…
A Look Ahead at the Remainder of the 2025-26 Legislative Session
The last year of the 2025-26 legislative session is officially underway. Republican Sen. Kim Ward was once again elected to serve as Senate Pro Tempore – the highest ranking Senate officer in the chamber. She has the distinction of being the first woman to hold the position, which she was first elected to by her…
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Highlighted as a Top ‘Judicial Hellhole’
The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas has once again been named one of the country’s worst ‘judicial hellholes.’ The court ranked 5th worst in the American Tort Reform Foundation’s 2025-26 list. The report cited several issues plaguing the Philadelphia Court, including nuclear verdicts. The Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas was home to two of the ‘Top 10 largest corporate…
PA Taxpayers on the Hook for Extreme Natural Disasters Under Proposed Trial Bar Bill
A new bill circulating in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives would significantly expand liability in the Commonwealth with taxpayers footing the bill. The Extreme Weather Recovery Act (EWRA) would allow for uncapped lawsuits against private companies by individuals seeking damages for natural disasters. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Legal Reform did an analysis…