Report: Texas Southern District sees jump in lawsuits

Audio By Carbonatix

From 2022 to 2024, only Mississippi federal courts saw more lawsuits than the Southern District of Texas, according to a new report. 

On Monday, Lex Machina released its 2025 Torts Litigation Report, providing a comprehensive analysis of torts litigation in U.S. federal courts from 2015 through 2024. 

The report found that federal tort filings have surged, with nearly 20 percent more cases initiated between the 2023-2024 period compared to 2021-2022 – numbers driven by bigger jury verdicts, easier removal to federal court, and insurance limits that haven’t kept pace with inflation.

“Tort litigation in federal district courts increased generally over the past 10 years,” said Ron Porter, Lex Machina practice lead for torts analytics. “But this increase has not occurred in all types of cases. Some areas of tort litigation, medical malpractice for example, have declined significantly.”

While the Southern District of Mississippi led the annual list for tort case volume, the report found that was only due to a new mass tort action involving over 2,000 lawsuits in 2023, which were brought over allegations of lead in the drinking water.

The previous year only 191 cases were filed in the Mississippi court, whereas 779 were filed in the Southern District of Texas – a number that jumped to 843 in 2023 and 932 in 2024. 

From 2022 to 2024, a total of 2,554 cases were filed in the Southern District of Texas, 275 less than Mississippi's Southern District and 456 more than New York’s Eastern District, which came in third for federal tort filings.    

The report also found that federal juries awarded record verdicts in favor of tort claimants from 2022 through 2024, totaling more than $980 million, a number that excludes costs, fees, and interest.

Nearly 20 percent more torts cases launched in 2023 and 2024 compared to the 2021 and 2022 period, creating a rising wave in litigation. 2024 saw the highest number of lawsuits in federal district courts for motor vehicle injuries and premises liability claims on record.

Furthermore, in 2024 lawsuits for medical negligence against government entities under the Federal Tort Claims Act hit their lowest level since at least 2009, likely due to streamlined administrative procedures governing the claims, the report states.

“The Lex Machina Torts Litigation Report provides useful insights about litigation activity across courts and subject areas," said Aurelia Sanchez, head librarian at Rivkin Radler. “My firm has found it to be a helpful resource in understanding how the litigation landscape has evolved over time.”

Porter echoed the sentiment, saying that “Lex Machina can help lawyers, litigants and insurers make better decisions by giving them data-driven insights into past results and current trends into virtually every aspect of tort litigation.”