The Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) on Wednesday responded to the launch of the so-called Michigan Alliance for Legal Reform, a corporate-funded effort to strip away the rights of Michigan consumers, workers, and patients under the guise of “fairness” and “balance.”
“This is not a grassroots coalition, it’s an insurance industry wish list wrapped in talking points,” said Steve Pontoni, executive director of the Michigan Association for Justice.
“For 30 years, the courts benefited the business community, making Michigan one of the worst places in the country for consumers and workers. It is not surprising that a coalition of groups that benefit from exploiting consumers, patients, and workers would gather to try to put their thumb on the scales of justice again.”
The Alliance’s proposals, including restoring the discredited “Open and Obvious” doctrine and restricting access to legitimate legal financing, would tilt the scales even further toward corporate defendants and against ordinary people seeking their day in court. Reinstating the Open and Obvious defense would allow negligent property owners to evade responsibility even when unsafe conditions cause serious injury. So-called “transparency” measures for litigation funding are a distraction intended to make it harder for individuals of modest means to stand up to billion-dollar insurance companies.
“These are solutions in search of a problem,” said MAJ President Nick Andrews. “Michigan’s courts are fair, efficient, and already impose some of the most restrictive limits on victims’ rights in the nation. The only imbalance here is the overwhelming power of corporate lobbyists trying to rewrite the law for their own benefit.”
Facts Over Fear Claims of a multi-billion-dollar “tort tax” or job losses due to lawsuits have been repeatedly debunked. Michigan juries carefully evaluate evidence, and civil lawsuits often expose dangers that save lives, whether it’s an unsafe workplace, a defective vehicle, or a predatory landlord.
“Accountability drives safety and fairness,” Pontoni continued. “When corporations know they’ll be held responsible for negligence, they act more responsibly.
Weakening our justice system doesn’t create jobs—it just shifts costs from wrongdoers to victims and taxpayers.”
The inclusion of several insurance companies and trade groups is curious. The insurance industry saw $171 billion in profits in 2024, while Michigan continues to have some of the highest rates in the country. These are the same groups that protect known companies that continually act in bad faith, such as Cure Insurance.
MAJ urges lawmakers to reject efforts to weaken Michigan’s civil justice system and instead focus on policies that strengthen communities, protect consumers, and uphold the constitutional right to a jury trial.
“The Michigan Association for Justice will continue to stand with working families, small business owners, and consumers across the state who deserve a fair shot in court,” said Andrews. “Justice shouldn’t depend on how powerful you are. It should be based on the truth.”
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