Public entities — schools, cities, and counties — throughout California are seeing a huge uptick in lawsuits. Taxpayers are funding claims against public entities and those costs have increased nearly 300% from 2017-2018 to 2024-2025, and are projected to increase another 65% from current levels in 2027-2028.
Trial attorneys are increasingly making massive profits from taxpayers — plaintiff lawyers take up to 50% of the awards for their own pockets. Taxpayer dollars being used to fund claims made against public entities are exploding exponentially, tripling in 7 years, and are projected to increase another 70% from current levels by 2027-2028.
Public entity liability has become a significant statewide fiscal challenge, driven by retroactive claims reaching back decades—some as far as the 1940s—and costing taxpayers BILLIONS. As a result, today's taxpayer dollars intended for education and essential public services are being redirected to pay decades-old claims, underscoring the need for balanced public entity liability reforms.
Estimated annual attorney profits paid with public dollars
High-dollar claims have nearly quadrupled
Rise in premiums
Payouts in Los Angeles alone
Fewer resources for wildfire prevention and emergency response
Cuts to foster care, strains on county hospitals, and safety-net services
Reduced funding for homelessness response and housing programs
Teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and cuts to student support services