This is about ten percent of the annual total of meritorious cases that are identified and compiled by local social service agencies.

A medical malpractice case in this state cannot be started without an affidavit indicating that a meritorious case exists.

"It allows us to be tough, but also still leaves room for people to come to us in a real meritorious case."

Studies have found that many consumers, for instance, will not pursue even meritorious cases when they have been sold defective products.

"We believe we had a meritorious case, and the commissioner didn't," said Jerry Krause, vice president of basketball operations for the Bulls.

A 1995 law made it tougher for lawsuits to receive court certification to proceed toward settlement or trial, producing more meritorious cases in recent years.

Rather than demonstrating that "seemingly meritorious cases fall apart" at trial, this example merely shows incompetent questioning during the deposition.

Now meritorious cases against incompetent physicians are rejected because lawyers and clients cannot afford the expenses involved in litigating these matters.

The doctors who sit on medical malpractice panels and dishonestly vote against meritorious cases?

Any case less certain than that can be lost, and many seemingly meritorious cases fall apart when the defense cross-examines witnesses and presents its own case.