SMART REFORM FOR A STRONGER MICHIGAN

The MI Alliance for Legal Reform is committed to restoring balance and fairness to our state’s legal system through commonsense reforms. Our goal is to protect consumers, small businesses and communities from abusive legal practices.
Now is the time to act — Michigan can’t afford to wait.

The need for action.

Lawsuit abuse is on the rise, allowing bad actors to line their pockets while consumers foot the bill. Holes in our laws and backwards rulings in our courtrooms are shaping our legal system into one that prioritizes dollars over justice.

Learn more from the “Tort Costs in America” study from the Institute for Legal Reform.

"Judicial Hellhole"

Michigan has been labeled a “judicial hellhole” two years in a row by The American Tort Reform Association, citing pending litigation and backwards rulings from the Michigan Supreme Court that undermine fairness and predictability.

The Bottom Line: Lawsuit abuse burdens our state’s families, businesses and job creators.

By the Numbers

Annual household impact

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Michigan’s excessive lawsuits are costing every household, whether or not they ever see the inside of a courtroom. The so-called “tort tax” drains more than $3,000 per household each year, equal to 2% of our state’s GDP.

Jobs lost

Michigan’s broken legal climate drives away 100,000 jobs annually, stifling growth and opportunity for families and small businesses alike.

Key Issues

MI Legal Reform Alliance is taking action, broadening efforts to protect and improve our state’s legal climate, advance reforms and restore our state’s competitiveness.

Transparency in Lawsuit Financing

Lack of transparency in lawsuit financing creates predatory practices for plaintiffs, national security risks, and turns our legal system into a Black-Market Wall Street. Commonsense guardrails for Third-Party Litigation Funding will bring more integrity to our judicial system and rein in lawsuit abuse in Michigan courts.

Download fact sheet here.

Legal Protection for Property Owners

Michigan is one of nine states in the country without premise liability protections for hazards deemed “open and obvious,” like a patch of ice. Restoring this protection for property owners lowers costs, liability and the threat of a frivolous lawsuit for all property owners.

Download fact sheet here.

News & Resources

Keep up to date on news surrounding Michigan legal reform.

Putin’s Billionaires Dodge Sanctions by Financing Lawsuits

A Bloomberg Law investigation reveals that Russian billionaires tied to Vladimir Putin are using litigation financing to skirt international sanctions. The lack of reporting and disclosure requirements has drawn sharp criticism, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce warning that opaque case financing could allow foreign adversaries to undermine U.S. national security.

Bloomberg Law

March 28, 2025

Litigation Funding’s Influence on Cases Warrants Disclosure Rule

Third-party litigation funding, or TPLF, is a multibillion-dollar industry that finances lawsuits in exchange for a share of any judgment or settlement. Legal experts argue that this lack of transparency threatens fairness and accountability in the courts, prompting renewed calls for federal rules requiring disclosure of all litigation-funding agreements.

Bloomberg Law

October 3, 2025

It’s Not So Obvious Anymore: Michigan Supreme Court Overturns Three Decades of Premises Liability Law

The Michigan Supreme Court has overturned three decades of precedent by eliminating the “open and obvious” defense in premises liability cases. Under Kandil-Elsayed v. F&E Oil and Pinsky v. Kroger, property owners can now be held liable for hazards that are visible or easily avoidable, shifting responsibility from individuals to businesses and significantly broadening potential liability for Michigan employers and property owners.

National Law Review

August 4, 2023