Medical malpractice insurance premiums have soared in some cases by 300 percent. In many Texas counties, obstetricians will no longer perform deliveries because of the high cost of medical malpractice insurance. Hospitals are declining emergency care because of fear of lawsuits, and neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons are becoming rare in some parts of Texas.

For almost 100 years, arbitration has played a valuable role in civil justice. This streamlined procedure removes much of the time, uncertainty, and expense when used as an alternative to a lawsuit filed in court.

After more than a year of research, Texans for Lawsuit Reform has formalized its agenda for the 2003 session of the Texas Legislature. "This ambitious agenda is designed to make Texas into the most fair, reasoned, and balanced civil justice system in America," says Richard Trabulsi, Jr., TLR™s Chairman of Legislative Affairs. "Given the powerful influence of the plaintiffs™ lawyers and their lobbyists, passage of this agenda will require the active participation of every single TLR supporter," observes Dick Weekley, President of TLR.