Breaking Barriers to Justice
We Will Fight to Hold Corporations Accountable By Linda Lipsen
The Monsanto v. Durnell U.S. Supreme Court decision immunizes manufacturers of dangerous pesticide products from accountability in state failure- to-warn cases. In addition to pesticides like Roundup, the decision immunizes the manufacturers of more than 57,000 products commonly found in homes, schools, and workplaces from accountability. This decision shields corporate chemical companies, weakens longstanding legal protections, and tramples every state's right to protect its own citizens. The American Association for Justice issued a statement, calling on Congress to restore the rights of people who will have limited paths for justice and accountability. Corporate chemical companies have, for years, sought immunity legislation, and they have been overwhelmingly rejected in red and blue states alike. Case in point: Earlier in June, the North Carolina Senate defeated a pesticide immunity provision in the North Carolina Farm Act (SB 401). North Carolina was the final state with pesticide immunity legislation that AAJ was monitoring in the 2026 legislative sessions; this year, pesticide immunity legislation was defeated in nine of ten states where it was introduced.
AAJ’s commitment to protecting people from harmful products and defending the right to seek accountability remains resolute. We will continue working to ensure that the voices of those harmed by dangerous pesticides are heard.
Pesticide Immunity Proposals in Congress
As we previously reported, lawmakers in the U.S. House voted in favor of an amendment to remove immunity for pesticide companies from the House Farm Bill. This was a decisive, bipartisan vote of 280 to 142, with 73 Republicans voting to remove immunity. This vote effectively removed a provision that would have shielded corporate chemical companies from accountability.
And on the Senate side, its version of the Farm Bill does not include pesticide immunity .
What we have seen and heard at both the state and federal levels is that there are many voices and groups —across the political spectrum—joining in broad opposition to pesticide immunity.
Uber and Ride-Hail Corporations Seek Immunity
The toughest battle we fight is against powerful corporations and industries that want to preempt all state tort liability. No area of plaintiff trial law is truly safe. On May 22, legislation that includes an amendment to eliminate nearly all claims for ride-hail companies like Uber and Lyft advanced through the House
Linda Lipsen is the CEO of American Association for Justice (AAJ). Ms. Lipsen has led the trial lawyers’ highly regarded Washington lobby team and successfully fought back efforts that would limit access to America’s courts and make it impossible for the victims of negligence or willful wrongdoing to be fairly compensated for harm.
www.justice.org
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Consumer Attorneys of California
FORUM July/August 2026
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