Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Through political action, legal, academic and market research, and grassroots initiatives, TLR fights for common-sense reforms that keep Texas open for business.

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For the Record

Ensuring Texans Have Access to Courts

We speak often about the mushrooming cost of litigation, both in terms of time and money. The fact is that for many Texans, hiring a lawyer is expensive, and quite often, cases are too risky or too time consuming for the average person to pursue.

This has effectively shut a large swath of Texans out of the court system. It’s also the reason why we’ve seen a rise in alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and arbitration. They’ve become a necessity for those who simply cannot afford to pursue litigation through the traditional court system.

We at TLR think there is a better way. And this session, the Legislature is poised to improve access to the courts for every Texan through two pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 2342 and House Bill 3336.

These bills expand on successful procedures that Texas has already implemented to expedite civil lawsuits. That means more lawsuits can be resolved quicker and at less expense.

For example, justice of the peace courts handle civil cases with less than $10,000 in controversy. These courts handle caseloads quickly, use informal procedures and don’t require a lawyer, making them easily accessed by Texans. SB 2342 and HB 3336 expand their maximum jurisdiction to $20,000, allowing more Texans to take advantage of justice of the peace courts to get a quick resolution of a relatively small dispute. 

Many of Texas’ larger counties have courts called county courts at law. They were designed to be a step between JP courts, which handle small civil cases, and district courts, which handle large civil cases. The maximum civil jurisdiction for most county courts at law is $200,000. These bills raise the standard maximum jurisdictional limit to $250,000, again expanding the pool of cases that can be heard in these courts. 

Following the 2011 legislative session, the Texas Supreme Court set rules for expedited proceedings in civil cases with less than $100,000 in controversy, including attorney’s fees. Because attorney’s fees are included and often exceed the amount of damages in a small civil case, the $100,000 limitation is often too restrictive. SB 2342 and HB 3336 raise the limit to $250,000—excluding attorney’s fees—to make expedited case procedure available in more lawsuits.  

While most county courts at law can only hear cases with up to $200,000 in controversy, a few counties in Texas have county courts at law with unlimited civil jurisdiction. They can hear the same civil cases as the district courts in those counties. The difference is that the parties are entitled to a 12-person jury in district court, but only a six-person jury in a county court at law. Smaller juries tend to hand down more inconsistent and aberrational decisions, both high and low. These bills allow any party to a case with more than $250,000 in controversy to demand that the case be presented to 12 jurors rather than six. 

We believe these bills make good and important changes to the legal system that will help ensure Texans of all backgrounds can access the courts.

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Texans for Lawsuit Reform

3 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

A great turnout at our 88th Legislative Session Lunch & Learn today! Thanks to all the legislative staffers who joined us to hear about TLR’s agenda this session. ... See MoreSee Less

A  great turnout at our 88th Legislative Session Lunch & Learn today! Thanks to all the legislative staffers who joined us to hear about TLR’s agenda this session.Image attachment
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Texans for Lawsuit Reform

3 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

In case you missed it: Check out the TLR Advocate to read our top priorities for the 88th legislative session, guest columns, and an update on the expanding TLR team. Read and share: bit.ly/3ZHdEva ... See MoreSee Less

In case you missed it: Check out the TLR Advocate to read our top priorities for the 88th legislative session, guest columns, and an update on the expanding TLR team. Read and share: https://bit.ly/3ZHdEva
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Texans for Lawsuit Reform

4 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

Public nuisance lawsuits have expanded beyond their traditional use into a way to regulate through litigation. TLR is dedicated to preventing the public nuisance doctrine from becoming a catch-all cause of action used to impose one person’s political views on society as a whole. Read and share: bit.ly/3ZHdEva ... See MoreSee Less

Public nuisance lawsuits have expanded beyond their traditional use into a way to regulate through litigation. TLR is dedicated to preventing the public nuisance doctrine from becoming a catch-all cause of action used to impose one person’s political views on society as a whole. Read and share: https://bit.ly/3ZHdEva
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lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
3 Feb 1621598756633288707

A great turnout at our 88th Legislative Session Lunch & Learn today! Thanks to all the legislative staffers who joined us to hear about TLR’s agenda this session. #txlege

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lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
3 Feb 1621539669228879873

#ICYMI: Check out the TLR Advocate to read our top priorities for the 88th legislative session, guest columns, and an update on the expanding TLR team. Read and share: https://bit.ly/3ZHdEva

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lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
2 Feb 1621267523164426242

TLR is working to make the Texas legal system fair, efficient, and accessible for all. Learn more: #txjustice #txcourts

TLR at a Glance

TLR's objective is to restore litigation to its traditional and appropriate role in our society. A lawsuit takes a heavy emotional and financial toll ...

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Texans for Lawsuit Reform
1701 Brun Street
Houston, Texas 77019

Ph. 713-963-9363
  • About TLR
  • Our Mission
  • Our Team
  • Timeline of Reforms
  • Videos
  • Issues
  • Resource Center
  • For the Record
  • Special Reports
  • In the News
  • Press Releases
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Get Involved
  • Invite a TLR Speaker
  • Donate
  • Stay Informed
  • Contact TLR

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