Tort defendants had another good decade before the Supreme Court during the years 2000 to 2009, winning 64 cases and losing 42. In 2001, defendants won eight of nine cases. In 2004, tort defendants went 10-3. In 2009, defendants won six of eight.

In our next Table, we review the data on how tort defendants fared during these years seeking affirmance of decisions they won at the Appellate Court level. These cases were closely divided, with the Court affirming 22 tort defendant wins and reversing 17 times. Defendants were 4-1 in defending appellate victories in 2001 and again in 2004.

Tort defendants fared especially well during these years when they were trying to obtain reversal of decisions they had lost at the Appellate Court. Defendants won 42 of those cases while losing only 25. Defendants were 4-0 in attacking losses in 2001, 6-2 in 2004 and 6-1 in 2009.

Join us back here tomorrow as we review the data for the years 2010 to 2019.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Susan Rose (no changes).