After almost 18 years, a particular cup of coffee is still burning in the minds of many.

The cup of coffee in question is the core of the well-known McDonald’s coffee lawsuit — a 1994 product liability lawsuit that became a popular topic of the debate in the U.S., according to Jerrod Shermoen, attorney with Shermoen and Jaksa Law Office.

To highlight the case and “what really happened,” the law office is one of several firms that was instrumental in bringing an HBO documentary film entitled “Hot Coffee” to Minnesota, Shermoen said. A free, public showing of the film is scheduled for noon on Saturday at Cine 5.

“The hot coffee case is looked at as the poster child for tort reform since the case happened,” explained Shermoen. “We are very fortunate to be able to bring this film to International Falls and invite everyone to come watch it.”

In 1992, Stella Liebeck of New Mexico, ordered a cup of coffee from a McDonald’s restaurant. Liebeck accidentally spilled the entire cup of coffee on her lap, scalding several parts of her lower body, Shermoen said.

According to Wikipedia.com, Liebeck was taken to the hospital, where it was determined that she had suffered third-degree burns. She remained in the hospital for eight days while she underwent skin grafting. Two years of medical treatment followed.

In the film’s promotional trailer, the now 89-year-old woman said the burns were so severe, doctors were unsure if she would live.

In the years since the case, Shermoen says several opinions have been formed about Liebeck and the entire justice system.

“The movie begins with the public’s perception of the McDonald’s case and how it got there,” Shermoen said. “But, (the film) is not just about that case.”

Shermoen said “Hot Coffee” highlights the legal system and what rights citizens have — and don’t have — when it comes to accessing the courts. The attorney said the people he has talked to who have seen the film are “surprised” by the facts of not only the McDonald’s case, but how difficult it can be for Americans to access the courts and their rights.

“It shows people the case is nothing close to what the public perception of it is,” he said. “People think this woman used spilling a hot cup of coffee on herself to sue McDonald’s for millions of dollars, when really, she just wanted compensation for damages and McDonald’s corporate really didn’t seem to care.”

Shermoen continued that when it comes to the legal system, most people are unaware that they don’t have rights they may think they have.

“There are some big forces out there,” he said. “The judicial branch is really the only branch (of government) left that gives the little guy a voice. Everyday, average citizens have to fight for their rights. A lot of people come out of watching ‘Hot Coffee’ feeling mad and upset and believing they’ve been lied to. They have.”

It is Shermoen’s hope that “Hot Coffee,” which has received several awards, educates people and makes them aware of the limited access they have to the justice system.

“At the end of the day, the movie is about education,” Shermoen said. “Hopefully, it will get people to think and start asking questions.”

For more information on “Hot Coffee,” visit www.hotcoffeethemovie.com.