Opinion: California in the ‘hot seat’ again because of lawsuit abuse

For the second consecutive year, the American Tort Reform Association has placed California’s legislature on its “Heat Watch” list in the annual Legislative HeatCheck report. This isn’t just a symbolic gesture — it’s a warning to every small business owner, taxpayer, and working Californian living in a state burdened by rampant lawsuit abuse.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: California has one of the worst legal climates in the country. We rank fifth in the nation for tort costs — also known as the “tort tax.” That’s $2,458 per person each year, or nearly $10,000 for a family of four. In high-cost metro areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles, the price tag soars to over $4,600 per resident. These aren’t just numbers—they’re costs that lead to higher consumer prices, lost jobs, and closed busines