Three Little-Noticed Wins for Corporations at the Supreme Court

The Supreme Court wrapped up its 2016–17 term this week, with decisions on two high-profile cases on religion and gay rights, and the announcement that this fall it will hear arguments regarding President Donald Trump’s 90-day ban on immigration from six mostly Muslim countries, which it partially revived in the meantime.

For corporations threatened by lawsuits, three other, less-noticed rulings handed down in recent weeks may prove to be no less important, at least for their bottom lines. The trio of decisions place new limits on “forum shopping,” a longstanding practice among plaintiffs’ lawyers who seek out jurisdictions viewed as liberal or pro-consumer. In effect, the high court tilted the scales of justice toward corporate defendants.