Safeguarding Americans from a Legal Culture of Fear: Approaches to Limiting Lawsuit Abuse : Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, One Hundred Eighth Congress, Second Session, June 22, 2004 |
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36 Harv 36 IIVJL American asbestos ATRA ATRA's attorneys bill business owners civil justice class action Commerce Clause Committee compensation CONGRESS THE LIBRARY constitutional consumer CONYERS Court held Custom Tool decision defendants Drivers Act Eisenberg employees enacted federal court federal liability reform fee-shifting fees filed forum non conveniens frivolous claims frivolous lawsuits Harned HOWARD IIVJL 269 Cite Illinois insurance company interstate commerce issue Jefferson County judges judicial hellholes Judiciary jurisdiction Jury Awards Lawsuit Abuse lawyers Legis liability reform legislation LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Madison County medical malpractice million Mississippi National NFIB Ohio Orleans percent personal injury plaintiffs premiums problem Product Liability punitive damages regulate responsible Rule 11 sanctions SCHWARTZ settlement small business small-business owners statute suits supra note Supremacy Clause Supreme Court Swine Flu TCPA Tenth Amendment Texas Tool & Gage tort law tort reform tort system trial United unsolicited fax advertisement verdict violation
Popular passages
Page 180 - A person has no property, no vested interest, in any rule of the common law. That is only one of the forms of municipal law, and is no more sacred than any other. Rights of property, which have been created by the common law, cannot be taken away without due process ; but the law itself, as a rule of conduct, may be changed at the will or even at the whim of the Legislature, unless prevented by constitutional limitations. Indeed, the great office of statutes is to remedy defects in the common law...
Page 14 - ... (2) the claims, defenses, and other legal contentions therein are warranted by existing law or by a nonfrivolous argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law or the establishment of new law; (3) the allegations and other factual contentions have evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, are likely to have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery; and (4) the denials of factual contentions are warranted on the...
Page 14 - ... well grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law, and that it is not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or to cause unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation.
Page 198 - The power of Congress over interstate commerce is not confined to the regulation of commerce among the states. It extends to those activities intrastate which so affect interstate commerce or the exercise of the power of Congress over it as to make regulation of them appropriate means to the attainment of a legitimate end, the exercise of the granted power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce.
Page 212 - This case is decided upon an economic theory which a large part of the country does not entertain. If it were a question whether I agreed with that theory, I should desire to study it further and long before making up my mind. But I do not conceive that to be my duty, because I strongly believe that my agreement or disagreement has nothing to do with the right of a majority to embody their opinions in law.
Page 10 - They do not have payroll departments, tax departments or attorneys on staff. Being a small business owner means, more times than not, you are responsible for everything — taking out the garbage, ordering inventory, hiring employees, and dealing with the mandates imposed upon your business by the federal, state and local governments. That is why simple government regulations, particularly when it comes to the paperwork they generate, are so important. The less time our members spend with "government...
Page 205 - We conclude that the Government is not liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act for injuries to servicemen where the injuries arise out of or are in the course of activity incident to service.
Page 49 - As long as I am allowed to redistribute wealth from out-of-state companies to injured state plaintiffs, I shall continue to do so. Not only is my sleep enhanced when I give someone else's money away, but so is my job security, because the in-state plaintiffs, their families and their friends will re-elect me...
Page 179 - Section 922(q) is a criminal statute that by its terms has nothing to do with "commerce" or any sort of economic enterprise, however broadly one might define those terms.
Page 14 - By presenting to the court (whether by signing, filing, submitting, or later advocating) a pleading, written motion, or other paper, an attorney or unrepresented party is certifying that to the best of the person's knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances...