Posts for Civil justice system

Throughout October, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse groups across the country are reaching out in their communities in honor of Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week. Groups are hosting roundtables, fundraisers and taking to their local newspapers and airwaves to highlight the problem of lawsuit abuse.

Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week serves as an annual reminder to us all of the detriment abusive and frivolous lawsuits on our society.

Lawsuit abuse hurts our economy, our healthcare system and our personal freedoms. Too many American jobs have been lost to lawsuits because of the strain that frivolous lawsuits put on businesses and public entities.

Remember the class action case against Wal-Mart a few months ago that made headlines? That’s the one that saw trial lawyers setting a new “low bar” for certifying a class. This was the case that, if allowed to move forward, would have broadened the circumstances vastly where classes can be certified.

Today people across the country are rushing to file their federal and state taxes. Now that we’ve filed and paid our tax bills, it’s worth considering where exactly that money is going.  More specifically, it’s worth considering how much of it is potentially being wasted in funding our broken civil justice system.

A research study by Towers Watson found that the U.S. tort system cost $248.1 billion in 2009 and estimates that every man, woman, and child pays a “lawsuit tax” of $808 per year.

A California State Senator on Saturday stood with other lawmakers and victims of lawsuit abuse to discuss new legislation that would limit frivolous lawsuits that strain the state’s economy.

Jean Fuller (R-Bakersfield) said, “California consistently chooses lawsuits over jobs. Rather than pursuing no-cost, common-sense solutions that will reform our civil justice system, our state encourages costly litigation that is derailing economic growth and chasing jobs away from our state.”