September 18, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Florida’s lawsuit climate ranked 46th out of 50 in a new national survey released today by the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR). The city of Miami ranked among the ten worst jurisdictions in the nation.

The 2019 Lawsuit Climate Survey: Ranking the States, conducted by the renowned polling firm The Harris Poll on behalf of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, questioned senior business executives about the fairness and reasonableness of state court systems.

The poor perception of Florida’s legal climate is critical because 89 percent of survey participants—an all-time high—said a state’s lawsuit environment is likely to impact their company’s decisions about where to locate or do business.

The survey was released today at a news conference in Tallahassee with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state legislative leaders. The survey comes at the same time the Florida legislature has made strong strides toward improving the lawsuit climate, efforts that promise to improve the state’s litigation system in the future.

“Despite the low ranking, it’s a new day for Florida’s legal climate,” said Harold Kim, chief operating officer of the Institute for Legal Reform. “Florida’s low ranking reflects its past, not its future, and doesn’t account for recent meaningful reforms spearheaded by Gov. DeSantis and the state legislature.”

Last April, the Florida legislature passed legal reform bills aimed at curbing rampant insurance fraud. In May, the state Supreme Court finally adopted a rule to keep junk science out of Florida courtrooms—already law in 40 other states and in federal courts.

The 2019 Lawsuit Climate Survey: Ranking the States is the 12th time The Harris Poll has conducted the survey since 2002 for the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform. The final results are based on interviews with a national sample of 1,307 in-house general counsel, senior litigators or attorneys, and other senior executives who are knowledgeable about litigation matters at public and private companies with annual revenue of at least $100 million.

About the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform

ILR seeks to promote legal reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels.

About the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

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