Voters Give Top 'Honor' to Lawsuit Brought by Illegal Immigrants Who Sued Rancher for Turning Them Over to U.S. Border Patrol

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) announced today the top five vote getters of its 1st Annual Most Ridiculous Lawsuit of the Year Poll. Nominees were drawn from the monthly Most Ridiculous Lawsuit poll winners, chosen by visitors to FacesofLawsuitAbuse.org, a public awareness campaign Web site that aims to show how abusive lawsuits affect small businesses and average families in very real ways.

"While ridiculous lawsuits may be easy fodder for late-night television hosts, they are no laughing matter for the defendants targeted," said ILR President Lisa Rickard.

  The top five Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2009 are:

5. Neighbor sues woman for smoking in her own home;

4. Double-murderer sues to claim his victims' classic Chevy pickup;

3. Holocaust denier sues Auschwitz survivor, alleging memoir contains "fantastical tales;"

2. Tourist sues hotel, claiming swimming pool got daughter pregnant;

1. Illegal immigrants sue rancher who stopped them on his property at gunpoint and turned them over to the Border Patrol.

Links to the news stories about these lawsuits can be found at: http://facesoflawsuitabuse.org/polls-archive/.

Throughout the year, the monthly and annual polls collectively received more than 50,000 votes.

ILR seeks to promote civil justice reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the national, state, and local levels.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.