What happened: The U.S. civil justice system is “increasingly failing to fulfill its basic duty of providing an efficient, consistent and even-handed system for resolving civil disputes.” The result: a meteoric increase in the number of frivolous lawsuits and record-breaking jury awards – which ultimately plagues households and businesses with massive legal costs.

In his words: “The plaintiffs’ bar has become a potent political force in many states, and some state politicians and judges seem willing to stack the deck against defendants to satisfy this powerful interest group. The readiness of others to skew the justice system seems to reflect progressive ‘social justice’ ideas that courts should act as redistributionist Robin Hoods in what they see as the primal struggle between a privileged oppressor class and everyone else.” – William P. Barr, U.S. attorney general under Presidents George H.W. Bush (1991–1993) and Donald Trump (2019–2020)

TLR Thoughts: The explosion of excessive and arbitrary damage awards is unsustainable and signals a legal system out of balance. The problem, however, extends beyond the courtroom. Plaintiff attorneys are increasingly exerting influence in the halls of state capitols nationwide, allying themselves with Republican members to stymie lawsuit reform efforts. TLR continues to advocate for smart reforms that protect victims’ day in court while also restoring balance and transparency to our court system.

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