Free screening of an HBO Documentary that debuted earlier this summer, followed by a Q&A and panel discussion with filmmaker Susan Saladoff along with a distinguished panel of attorneys, including UNL Law Professor Beth Burkstrand-Reid. Join us on Sunday, December 18, 2011 at the Mary Riepma Ross Theater.
More than 15 years later, the McDonald's coffee case is still used as a punchline, as a prime example of
how citizens use "frivolous" lawsuits to take unfair advantage of America's legal system. But is that an accurate portrayal of the facts? First-time filmmaker and former public interest lawyer Susan Saladoff uses the infamous legal battle that began with a spilled cup of coffee to investigate what's behind America's zeal for tort reform - which threatens to restrict the
legal rights of everyday citizens and undermine the entire civil justice system. The movie also takes a look at three other important cases, including a case involving a Nebraska couple, Lisa and Mike Gourley, which illustrates the effects of caps on damages.