EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (KMOX) – A report released Thursday ranks Madison County, Illinois as a “judicial hellhole.”

The American Tort Reform Association came up with the third-place ranking for Madison County, citing its abnormally high number of asbestos cases and litigation abuse.

Ed Murnane with the Illinois Civil Justice League agrees that work has to be done to improve, but the third place ranking is a little unfair this year.

“We feel improvements are being made, that Madison County is moving in the right direction with its judicial system,” Murnane told KMOX. “The asbestos legal system has developed into a very profitable and successful system in Madison County.”

Madison County is a perennial occupant on the annual list and was behind only the states of California and West Virginia.