U.S. Chamber Warns That Cities Are Litigating Too Much (1)

State legislatures should limit or stop the burgeoning trend of cities and counties hiring outside counsel to litigate everything from opioid addiction costs to environmental contamination, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said March 6.

The report by the Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform proposes modifications of state laws to curb nuisance suits—a vehicle commonly used by municipalities to hail corporations into court—and enhanced immunity from such lawsuits.

Lawsuits by local governments can be attractive to cities and counties because litigation can supply financial streams not available from tight state budgets. But such complaints are counter-productive because they usurp the powers ...