Hot Coffee (film)
Encyclopedia
Hot Coffee is a 2011 documentary film that analyzes and discuses the impact of tort reform
on the United States judicial system. It is directed by Susan Saladoff who was a medical malpractice attorney of 26 years. The film premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival
on January 24, 2011 and later aired on HBO on June 27, 2011 as a part of HBO films documentary summer series. The title is derived from the Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants lawsuit in which the plaintiff Liebeck was severely burned by hot coffee purchased from a McDonald's
.
Tort reform
Tort reform refers to proposed changes in common law civil justice systems that would reduce tort litigation or damages. Tort actions are civil common law claims first created in the English commonwealth system as a non-legislative means for compensating wrongs and harm done by one party to...
on the United States judicial system. It is directed by Susan Saladoff who was a medical malpractice attorney of 26 years. The film premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival
2011 Sundance Film Festival
The 27th annual Sundance Film Festival took place from January 20, 2011 until January 30, 2011 in Park City, Utah, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Utah, Ogden, Utah, and Sundance, Utah....
on January 24, 2011 and later aired on HBO on June 27, 2011 as a part of HBO films documentary summer series. The title is derived from the Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants lawsuit in which the plaintiff Liebeck was severely burned by hot coffee purchased from a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
.
Cases discussed
Hot Coffee discusses several cases and relates each to tort reform in the United States:- Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants and public relations campaigns (i.e. how the case was publicized to instigate tort reform)
- Colin Gourley's malpractice lawsuit and caps on damagesNon-economic damages capsNon-economic damages caps are controversial tort reforms to limit damages for intangible harms such as severe pain, physical and emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of the enjoyment of life that an injury has caused, including sterility, physical impairment and loss of a loved one, etc...
- Prosecution of Mississippi Justice Oliver DiazOliver E. Diaz, Jr.The Hon. Oliver E. Diaz, Jr. was a Presiding Justice on the Supreme Court of Mississippi representing District 2 Place 2. In 2008, he was defeated by Randy "Bubba" Pierce.-Early years:...
and judicial elections (i.e. how judges were elected for their positive stance on tort reform, reflecting election campaign contributions) - Jamie Leigh Jones v. Halliburton Co. doing business as KBRJamie Leigh JonesJamie Leigh Jones was an employee of KBR, an American engineering, construction and private military contracting company. She is notable for accusing then fellow KBR employees of drugging and gang-raping her on July 28, 2005, at Camp Hope, Baghdad, Iraq...
and mandatory arbitration
External links
- HBO site for film
- Extended interview with filmmaker Susan Saladoff on Media Matters with Bob McChesneyRobert W. McChesneyRobert Waterman McChesney is an American professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is the Gutgsell Endowed Professor in the Department of Communication. His work concentrates on the history and political economy of communication, emphasizing the role media play in democratic...