More Regulations = More Litigation
California never met a tax or regulation that it did not like. This is probably one of the reasons our state is in the situation it is in. However, people rarely think of how California’s regulations drive costly out-of-control litigation that is hurting job creation. The 2011 Fulbright Litigation Trends Survey, published in mid-October, helps […]
The Trial Lawyers Are Among Us…
One thing I have realized about trial lawyers is that they are everywhere. I used to think they would be just in the courts or chasing ambulances. However, the longer I have been with CALA, the more I have come to recognize that their influence is strong and they are everywhere. One example is in […]
Governor Brown, A Tort Reformer?
This has definitely been a wild year for legal reform in the State of California. With a Democratic Legislature and governor, you would think the trial lawyers would be cleaning up in the Golden State. Especially when you consider that they outspent the Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) by 8 to 1, according to […]
Congrats to Assemblyman Henry Perea!
Every once and a while, I get glimmers of hope on the prospect of legal reform in California. The passage of AB 1219 by Assemblyman Henry Perea (D – Fresno) is one of those times. Back in February of 2011, the California State Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Pineda vs. Williams Sonoma that zip codes […]
The Big Apple Makes Big Payouts
If you’re familiar with California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) you will know that we focus a lot of attention on private lawsuits. However, we also spend a lot of time discussing public sector lawsuits. We have done reports in recent years on the cost of lawsuits to cities, counties, schools and prisons and and […]
Another Study, Another Lousy Ranking for California
Economic development comes from investment, right? Investors are the people who will drive our state back to success. If investors do not think California has a good legal, tax or regulatory climate, they will not locate in this state. Period. So how many more studies does the Governor or the state Legislature need to have […]
The ADA Lawsuits Just Keep Rolling Along
Recently, KABC in Los Angeles and reporter Marc Brown did a story on a serial ADA lawsuit filer who says he is disabled with end-stage emphysema. However if you look at the video, his end stage emphysema does not prevent him from being a prolific hiker and taking daily walks with his dogs in the […]
Attention Candidates! Legal Reform Aisle 5
The election season has begun and the political posturing is under way. The battle for political power is in full swing. With new districts and an open primary, it is a whole new ballgame and business as usual is just not going to cut it.
Candidates: while I do not claim to be a campaign consultant, I have worked for a few politicians and I think I have a good issue for you to run on – legal reform.
Voters want legal reform. Our economic times demand that we have legal reform. Lawsuits affect every issue I can throw at you. Healthcare, education, police and fire protection, business, and the list goes on. The impact of litigation is huge and it costs our economy hundreds of millions of dollars.
When people are being laid off they might want to think about the impact litigation has on businesses’ (and public entities’) bottom line. It is huge. If a business has to settle a wage and hour class action for hundreds of thousands of dollars, that is money the business cannot spend to grow or hire new workers.
California Voters Want Legal Reform!
On Tuesday, August 23rd, California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse joined with legislators to hold a press conference at the State Capitol announcing the results of a voter survey recently done in California. The survey asked votes if lawsuit reform an important part of improving California’s business environment and attracting and keeping good jobs.
It’s Legal Reform, Stupid…
Let’s pause a moment to put the ugly debt ceiling debate into perspective. If there’s one thing voters learned over the past few weeks, it is that our leaders will do almost anything to avoid an honest discussion about our country’s problems. A responsible discussion about cutting public sector costs would surely have included legal reforms, yet I did not hear that issue raised once throughout the debate.
Legal reforms are a common sense, no cost solution that would help our local, state and federal governments address the cost drivers that greatly contribute to the public sector debt. These drivers include and are not limited to health care costs and the cost of legal services to public entities.
The U.S. tort system costs every man, woman and child in the U.S. a yearly “tort tax” of $808. That is $3,232 for a family of four, a huge cost for many families that are struggling to make ends meet these days. Add into the equation the impact of lawsuits on schools and cities and counties and you it’s obvious that legal reforms would have a hugely beneficial impact for our nation.