Mark McCaig recently criticized Texans for Lawsuit Reform on these pages for endorsing Democrats in the recent election. He charges that our bipartisanship runs contrary to conservative values and even calls TLR an œenemy of conservatives. In fact, TLR supports both Democrats and Republicans, with the goal of electing public officials who believe in a fair, balanced and predictable civil justice system. Oddly, McCaig criticizes TLR for being an œenemy of conservatism, but we are the organization that most confronts personal injury trial lawyers “ the primary financial backers of the most liberal candidates in the nation.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform is the largest tort reform group in the state and one of the most respected organizations of its kind in America. For over a decade, we have fought for civil justice reform, taking on the powerful plaintiffs™ trial bar. In 1994, when Texans for Lawsuit Reform was founded, the Wall Street Journal referred to our state as œthe lawsuit capitol of the world. Our litigation system was so feared that Lloyds of London placed a œTexas surcharge on its premiums for coverage of businesses operating in our state. The national program 60 Minutes produced an expose entitled œJustice for Sale that featured a prominent Texas personal injury trial lawyer and his relationship with state judges.

Today, because of TLR™s leadership, Texas is viewed as a state where civil justice statutes are a model. This spring, the Pacific Research Institute completed a comprehensive analysis of every state™s civil justice system, comparing 39 components from caps on punitive damages to appeal bonds. They ranked Texas number one, noting that without the reforms TLR has championed, our state would have ranked near the bottom.

Elected leaders who support our cause understand that the principals we fight for go to the bedrock of our society. The honesty and justice of our courts are directly linked to the structural integrity of our government and economy and are central to the protection of our constitutional rights.

It is ludicrous to suggest that these bedrock principals are anything but conservative. Governor Rick Perry has observed that œTexans for Lawsuit Reform has consistently battled the lawsuit lottery mentality that has jeopardized Texans access to health care. As a result of TLR™s diligent work during the 2003 session, the Legislature passed historic lawsuit reforms.

Governor George W. Bush embraced TLR™s legislative agenda as part of his platform on which he campaigned in his first election in 1994 and State House Speaker Tom Craddick recently noted that œTLR has played a key role in maintaining a conservative majority in the Texas House.

TLR™s political action committee only endorses judicial candidates who are judicially conservative and who will not legislate from the bench. Our endorsement of legislative candidates is based on whether their views on the civil justice system are compatible with our principals. In deciding whether to endorse an incumbent, we look at whether he or she has voted for or against the civil justice reforms that the tort reform coalition has proposed.

We are vigilant in our effort to reduce the influence of the plaintiffs™ personal injury bar in the Texas Legislature. Jacksonville residents may remember we took a strong stand opposing plaintiff™s lawyer Paul Sadler when he ran against Senator Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler). We endorsed Chuck Hopson (D-Jacksonville) because he voted for the Omnibus Tort Reform Act of 2003 (HB 4) and supported the constitutional amendment (Prop 12) that cemented the medical liability reforms that have greatly improved Texans™ accessibility to health care, especially to specialists. The Democrats the TLR PAC endorses support a fair and balanced civil justice system, and therefore face criticism and opposition from plaintiff personal injury lawyers, traditionally have been the largest contributors to Democratic candidates.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform is honor bound to stand by those lawmakers who have stood for sensible reforms to our litigation system regardless of their political party. We will continue to act honorably.

Finally, McCaig charges that TLR is a special interest backed by insurance companies and corporations. In fact, TLR has an extraordinarily diverse volunteer base, with 15,000 supporters living in 787 communities across the state and representing 1253 professions and occupations. They are Texans with different backgrounds and political points of view who agree on one point “ a fair and sensible civil justice system is critical to the integrity of our state and the vitality of our economy. Our leadership is composed of Texas entrepreneurs who volunteer their time and ability because they believe that it is their duty as citizens to participate in public policy. For more information about Texans for Lawsuit Reform, visit our website at www.tortreform.com .

Dick Weekley is Chairman and CEO of Texans for Lawsuit Reform