In that column he all but said the Supreme Court needs a completely new face.
Citing his own research, Alston found that the Mississippi Supreme Court overwelmingly favors Big Business.
“During the past 4 1/2 years, according to my research, an astonishing 88 percent of all jury verdicts in favor of the wronged victims have been reversed by the state Supreme Court.
But what about the jury trials won by defendants, in which the victim takes an appeal to correct an error? Here, again, the numbers are staggering.
Over the same 4 1/2-year-period, a plaintiff's success rate in reversing a jury verdict for the defendant is an astonishing zero.
The defendant corporation, hospital, or insurance company prevailed in 100 percent of these cases. It is difficult to imagine victims of negligence and fraud losing 100 percent of the time, but that is the way it is in the state Supreme Court in a plaintiff's appeal.”
Apparently, the Supreme Court believes businesses are always right and jurors are wrong, unless, of course, it favors big business.
It’s no surprise that things started to take a turn exactly 4 ½ years ago. Tort reform was passed in 2002, and Haley Barbour, Mississippi’s hero (or rather that of big business) took over almost exactly 4 ½ years ago. It’s no coincidence that the pendulum swung right into the favor of those with deep pockets giving big contributions to judges and our Republican Governor.
I'd also encourage you to also read this analysis by Sam Hall who is working to elect Jim Kitchens.
Seriously, the Chamber of Commerce dropped well over a million on these races last time. These judges are bought and paid for by big business. We tried to get a transparency law passed, so the people of Mississippi can know where the money is coming from, and Haley killed it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. Alston's analysis is dead-on.
ReplyDeleteIf you are an individual wronged by a corporation or short-changed by an insurance company or even harmed by a negligent physician, you have little chance of getting justice in our courts.
We need balance restored to our courts. One way is to elect Jim Kitchens. I hope people will visit our website, sign up and help us out.
http://www.kitchensforjustice.com
Thanks.
Sam Hall
Sure thing Sam.
ReplyDeleteI talked to a Republican friend of mine recently and he volunteered that he'd be supporting Kitchens.
He gave the interesting observation that despite his age Kitchens is quite fit.
Keep it up.
Both candidates are within six months of each other in age. I'd venture a guess that Kitch is in better health, though I wouldn't say Smith is in bad health.
ReplyDeleteI think he likes it because the friend works at a gym.
ReplyDeleteTheir both healthy and bright, but only one (Kitchens) has the interests of all Mississippians at heart.