The Wall Street Journal, reporting on data compiled by the National Center for State Courts, reports that State restrictions, increasing cost, and a long campaign by businesses have discouraged plaintiffs from filing tort suits.
Tort cases (primarily auto, medical malpractice, and product liability cases) declined from 16% of civil filings in state courts in 1993 to about 4% in 2015, a difference of more than 1.7 million cases nationwide, while contract disputes rose from 18% of the civil docket to 51% during that period.
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