Hot Coffee
NEW DOCS
Everyone remembers the story of the woman who spilled her coffee and successfully sued McDonald’s for millions of dollars. Stella Liebeck, an 80-year-old woman from Albuquerque, NM, became the brunt of numerous late-night talk-show jokes, the topic of an infamous Seinfeld parody, and the poster child for frivolous lawsuits flooding our legal system. But what was the real story? Former trial lawyer Susan Saladoff’s new documentary explores the truth behind Ms. Leibeck’s infamous “hot coffee” lawsuit. The film further examines how the media has shaped our perception of the civil justice system and how politicians and big business used this case to structure our understanding of tort reform, state-mandated caps on malpractice awards, and closed-door arbitration. A heated and thought-provoking film guaranteed to spark conversation and debate. CS
Director
Susan Saladoff
Producers
Carly Hugo, Alan Oxman, Susan Saladoff
Editor
Cindy Lee
Cinematographer
Martina Radwan
Release Year
2011
Festival Year
2011
Country
United States
Run Time
88 minutes