Nuclear verdicts land Texas on Judicial Hellhole Watch List 

The American Tort Reform Foundation has placed Texas on the Judicial Hellholes Watch List, warning that the state’s civil justice system is eroding under runaway verdicts, lawsuits based on junk science and a politically driven suing spree from Attorney General Ken Paxton.

ATRF’s report states that for decades, Texas “has stood as the gold standard” for balanced courts and a fair civil justice system, but now a new wave of nuclear verdicts has formed cracks in what was once a solid foundation.

“Texas is home to some of the nation’s largest nuclear verdicts,” said Robert Wood, spokesperson for Texans Against Lawsuit Abuse. “Court awards topping $10 million are far too common in Texas. In 2023 alone, six of the top ten verdicts in the country were handed down in Texas, totaling over $200 million.”

In 2025, Texas courts delivered some of the largest verdicts in state history, including $831 million in San Antonio and $640 million...