Documentary revealing the story behind an American lawsuit in which a woman made headlines by suing McDonald's when she was seriously burned after spilling a cup of their coffee on herself. The film examines misconceptions about the case, and what it reveals about corporate influences on the American legal system.

Most people think they know the "McDonald's coffee case," but what they don't know is that corporations have spent millions distorting the case to promote tort reform. HOT COFFEE reveals how big business, aided by the media, brewed a dangerous concoction of manipulation and lies to protect corporate interests. By following four people whose lives were devastated by the attacks on our courts, the film challenges the assumptions Americans hold about "jackpot justice."