Between 2005 and 2019, the Supreme Court decided 73 tort cases (a sharp reduction from the 137 tort cases decided in the preceding 15 years). The most frequent sub-area in the docket was once again duty, which accounted for 31 cases (but none in 2006, 2010, 2015 or 2019). There were 25 cases involving tort
For the past few months, we’ve been taking a detailed look at the Court’s results record and the individual Justices’ voting records in various areas of the civil and criminal law. Today, we begin a new series of posts drilling down on that earlier project to specific sub-areas of law. What are the sub-areas within
Today, we’re finishing our review of the individual Justices’ voting records in tort cases.
Justice Kruger has participated in 18 tort cases since taking her seat in 2015. She has voted for defendants in seven cases and for plaintiffs in eleven cases. In 2015 and 2016, she voted for plaintiffs in seven of eight cases.
This week, we’re reviewing the voting records in tort cases of our final three Justices: Justices Cuellar, Kruger and Groban.
Justice Cuellar has participated in seventeen tort cases since taking his seat in 2015. He has voted for defendants in seven cases and for plaintiffs ten times. In 2015 and 2016, he supported tort plaintiffs
Justice Liu participated in 31 tort cases from 2012 to 2019. He voted for defendants in 12 of those cases and voted for plaintiffs in 19 cases.
The Court has decided 15 cases won by tort defendants at the Court of Appeal. He has voted to affirm seven of those decisions, voting to reverse, at
Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye has participated in 36 tort cases since beginning her tenure, voting for defendants in 16 cases and for plaintiffs in 20 cases. Between 2011 and 2015, the Chief Justice voted for defendants in nine of twenty cases. In 2016, the Chief Justice voted for tort defendants in only one of seven cases.
Between 2006 and 2019, Justice Corrigan has participated in 64 tort cases. She has voted for tort defendants’ position in 35 cases and has supported defendants 29 times. Between 2006 and 2010, Justice Corrigan voted for tort defendants in 19 of 28 cases. Between 2011 and 2016, Justice Corrigan voted for defendants’ position only 10
This week, we’re beginning our review of the Justices’ individual voting records in tort cases, beginning with senior Associate Justice Ming Chin.
Through the end of 2019, Justice Chin has participated in 149 tort cases. He has voted for the defendants’ position 84 times and has voted for tort plaintiffs 65 times. Between 1997 and
As the philosophical composition of the Court has shifted in recent years, tort defendants have seen their won-loss record fall. From 2010 to 2019, defendants have won 18 cases while losing 22. Defendants won only three of fifteen cases from 2013 through 2016 and five of nine from 2017 to 2019.
During the decade, tort
Between 2000 and 2009, tort defendants continued to fare well before the Supreme Court, winning 44 cases while losing 32. Defendants were 9-5 in 2002, 6-2 in 2003 and 8-4 in 2007. On the other hand, defendants won only one out of seven decisions in 2005.
Tort defendants who prevailed at the Court of Appeal