WMC Doesn't Know When to Quit: Hypes Another Bogus "Study"

Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce pumped out another press release, Wisconsin Ranks 30th in Legal Climate Study tied to another phony state-by-state study of the civil justice system. This one was conducted by the Pacific Research Institute, Pacific Research Institute Releases First Objective State-By-State Ranking of the Best and Worst Tort Systems in America.  Yikes!

Question Number 32: Are State Supreme Court Justices elected or appointed?

Delaware and Connecticut score a perfect '1' ranking at the top of the list since their justices are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the legislature.  Wisconsin is the middle of the pack since we conduct non-partisan elections of our justices. They do rank us higher than those states which hold partisan elections.

WMC notes that:

Many factors were weighed to determine these rankings, including monetary losses, monetary caps, substantive legal reforms, reforms in procedures and rules, as well as other factors (the existence of venues called “judicial hellholes” where it is difficult for a defendant to get a fair trial, the ratio of attorneys per dollar of gross state product, and the total number of civil cases per 100,000 residents).

There is no concern voiced for fair rules of evidence, fair selection of a jury, or even competent judges.

But here is the real kicker.  This study ranks Texas first, as the best place for corporations to use the judicial system.

Here is the link to a press release WMC provided on March 27, 2006: Wisconsin Legal System Headed In the Wrong Direction. In that study, Texas was ranked 43rd! These guys are falling all over themselves trying to explain it. Questions and Answers Regarding: The U.S. Chamber Harris Survey and the Pacific Research Institute Study. 

What all of this comes down to is that WMC will shamelessly pull out from under any rock whatever slithers out.