Hot Coffee

Hot Coffee is a documentary examining how the widely reported case of a woman burned by McDonald's coffee was recast in public debate as a symbol of frivolous lawsuits. Stella Liebeck, an Albuquerque woman, spilled the coffee on herself and sued the company; the film looks at what actually happened in that case and at the wider campaign to limit civil lawsuits against corporations. It follows four people whose lives were changed by damage to the civil justice system, arguing that business interests and media coverage shaped public assumptions about so-called jackpot justice.

Susan Saladoff directed the film, her first feature documentary, working with producers Alan Oxman and Carly Hugo. Those appearing as themselves include consumer advocate Joan Claybrook, former justice Oliver Diaz, attorney Joanne Doroshow, and then-senator Al Franken, alongside Colin and Connor Gourley. The credited cast runs to 38 people and the credited crew to 45.

Released in June 2011, the documentary runs 85 minutes. On TMDB it holds a rating of 7.2 out of 10 from 67 votes, a small sample whose favorable average suggests the film found a receptive audience among those who sought it out.