The American Tort Reform Foundation's latest Judicial Hellholes report has identified King County as one of the top problematic legal environments in the United States, ranking ninth overall. This development has prompted concerns from Patrick Connor, the state director for NFIB in Washington. Connor remarked, "Washington residents are facing higher prices and fewer job opportunities as a direct result of an increasingly hostile legal landscape statewide, and more particularly in King County." He emphasized that businesses are being pressured by "high-dollar settlement demands" from what he describes as "Seattle-area lawsuit mills."

The report highlights several contentious practices within King County courts. According to Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association, these include "law shopping" and the use of questionable scientific evidence. Joyce warned that such practices could undermine the civil justice system's integrity while financially impacting Washington residents.

Additionally, the report notes controversial methods such as combining multiple plaintiffs with varied claims related to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) exposure into single trials. This approach is said to potentially skew trial outcomes by grouping weaker cases with stronger ones.

Data cited in the release indicates that Washington state residents bear a significant financial burden due to these legal issues, with a reported "tort tax" costing nearly $2,290 per person annually. Furthermore, it is estimated that over 163,000 jobs are lost each year due to excessive tort costs.

NFIB continues its advocacy for small and independent business owners across America and provides updates on their website and social media platforms.