What are the benefits of litigation?
Lawsuits can bring an important issue into the public eye, which in turn puts pressure on legislators to act. A good example is how in the tobacco wars, litigation got the attention of Congress, who then held hearings to investigate industry practices. An avalanche of damning documents discovered through litigation revealed much malfeasance by tobacco companies. This was critical to shifting public opinion, giving policymakers the support they needed to pass significant public health measures that have reduced smoking rates and lessened exposure to secondhand smoke.
