Last year I ran across a paper by Steven Hantler where he rated the business climate of each state based on their litigious environment. We came in 44th, or depending on how you look at it, 6th worst.
Hantler has published his report again this year, and we did a bit better, apparently our business/litigation climate has improved and we are now ranked 26th. Here is what he had to say about Oklahoma.
A number of states have made improvements and now have litigation climates that favor growth and job creation since this Guide was first presented last year. They include Tennessee, which topped our list this year, as well as Alaska, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.
...
Oklahoma’s prospects for liability reform suffered a setback in 2007 with Governor Brad Henry’s veto of comprehensive liability reforms, a complete reversal of his pledge to support “Texas Plus” tort reform. The business community is supporting a similar comprehensive bill intended to encourage Henry to negotiate a fair package of reforms. Attorney General Drew Edmondson is an activist and hostile to the rule of law. There is strong legislative support for a judicial-reform constitutional amendment requiring Senate confirmation of any judicial appointment or reappointment made by the governor. Medical malpractice losses have improved to 2nd best in the nation, and overall, monetary tort losses have improved to 16th best in 2008. The state has improved its overall litigation risk ranking from 6th-worst in 2006 to 33rd in 2008. While Oklahoma’s liability climate discourages growth and job creation, there are signs of improvement.
I find that promising that we did better this year. Sounds like the next step is to rid ourselves of Edmondson and Henry...but we already knew that didn't we?
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