I recently finished reading the John Grisham book, “The Appeal”. It is an interesting if unfortunately too true look at how politics and big business are preventing injured people from obtaining justice.
In the book a large verdict against a crooked chemical manufacturing company that illegally dumps its toxic waste prompts its CEO to buy a Supreme Court candidate.
Big businesses have spent millions in judicial elections and backed new candidates to victories in Mississippi, West Virginia, and Texas. Fortunately, Georgia did not fall for it in the past Supreme Court election. I recommend people read “The Appeal.”
For a real life example of how appeals can overturn huge verdicts, consider that the Texas Court of Appeals just reversed a $17 million verdict in fatal bus crash.
The court held that a $17 million jury award must be reversed because the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury to properly apportion damages. Five passengers were killed and many injured when a chartered passenger bus crashed on an interstate highway.