Project Lawsuit Abuse:
Stories from the Frontlines of Lawsuit Abuse

Posts for Economy

Another Organization Lost to Lawsuits

May 21st, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

The costs of lawsuits are high. Every single person in the U.S. pays an annual lawsuit tax of $857, and businesses spend billions of dollars a year fighting often unmerited lawsuits. Clearly, our nation is wasting a lot of money on lawsuits instead of jobs and economic growth. 

But lawsuits don’t just drain our pocketbooks – they also sometimes force the closure of great community organizations and establishments. Consider the case of Basketball Town, a children’s recreation center and community resource that had to shut its doors after facing an abusive lawsuit.

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New Study: U.S. Legal System Is the Most Expensive in the World

May 20th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

Last week, the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform released a new study about the costs of litigation across the globe. The study offers some upsetting, if not surprising, news about the U.S. legal system: it’s the most expensive one in the world!

Specifically, legal costs in the U.S. account for 1.7 percent of our GDP. Legal costs in other countries, like the Netherlands, Belgium and Portugal, account for only around .4 percent of GDP!

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Governor Jerry Brown: Prop. 65 Is Being Abused by “Unscrupulous Lawyers”

May 13th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

We recently told you about California’s problems with shakedown lawsuits associated with Proposition 65, a law that requires businesses to post warning signs if their premises contain a product known by the state to cause cancer or be a reproductive toxicant. Many California trial lawyers are targeting small businesses who fail to post the signs, demanding money up front and giving owners no time to fix violations.

We also told you about legislation moving through California’s state legislature to address the problem. Assembly Bill 227 would offer businesses desperately needed relief from abusive Prop. 65 lawsuits by giving them two weeks to fix violations.

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Project Lawsuit Abuse Newsmakers

May 10th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

Gov. Brown vows to amend chemical disclosure law

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California: #1 in Weather, #50 in Business

May 7th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

California’s got a lot going for it. Great weather, beautiful scenery, you name it. But one thing the state definitely doesn’t have? A good business climate. In fact, a new report from Chief Executive Magazine ranked the state as the nation’s worst for doing business!

This news shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows the world of legal reform. California also has the nation’s worst legal climate, and the two facts are no doubt connected. Lawsuit abuse kills jobs and makes it difficult for businesses to thrive.

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Project Lawsuit Abuse Newsmakers

Apr 29th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

Tort reformers have been turning up all over the internet recently. We took the liberty of rounding up some of the standouts. You may recognize a few friends of Project Lawsuit Abuse in there. Here are some of the newsmakers from around the country.

TAB, LULAC partner to advance lawsuit lending bill

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Illinois could use a little ‘Texas’

Apr 26th, 2013 by takin

Editor's Note: Project Lawsuit Abuse regularly highlights lawsuit abuse news from across the country. Today, Travis Akin, Executive Director of Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch, contributed a guest post for Project Lawsuit Abuse.

Texas Governor Rick Perry is on a mission to lure Illinois businesses to Texas and Illinois politicians are none too pleased about it.

Perry had this to say about his visit to Illinois:

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Watch Out Illinois…Everyone’s Trying To Steal Your Jobs!

Apr 24th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

Reform works, and Texas is proof. In 2003, Texas was a judicial hellhole. Abusive lawsuits were out of control, and the state’s unfriendly legal climate was driving away businesses, jobs and doctors.

In the 10 years since, Texas passed some of the most comprehensive legal reform in the nation and the results have been spectacular. Texas is no longer a playground for personal injury lawyers; it’s a hot spot for job creation and economic growth. Texas has experienced a miracle, and legal reform is largely responsible.

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What Are Public Sector Lawsuits Costing You?

Apr 18th, 2013 by tscott

Editor's Note: Project Lawsuit Abuse regularly highlights lawsuit abuse news from across the country. Today, Tom Scott, Executive Director of California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, contributed a guest post for Project Lawsuit Abuse.

CALA  recently released a report finding that just 17 of California’s 482 cities and 58 counties spent more than $1.09 billion on lawsuits over a four-year period from 2008-2012. And that’s just on verdicts, settlements and outside counsel. It does not even take into account the cost of in-house counsel and other administrative costs associated with the enormous number of lawsuits facing cities and counties.

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The City of Angels? More Like the City of Lawsuits

Apr 15th, 2013 by projectlawsuitabuse

Anyone who works for a city government these days knows that budgets are tight, particularly in California. California’s local governments are so stretched that many vital public services have been cut, with some cities even declaring bankruptcy! These days, municipalities don’t have any money to waste.

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