Texans for Lawsuit Reform

This site describes the efforts of citizens of Texas to restore balance and fairness to the Texas civil justice system. Long considered the lawsuit capital of the world, Texas citizens finally demanded reforms. Texas tort reform has won reasonable, bi-partisan reforms in recent years. Leo E. Linbeck, Jr., Dick Weekley, Richard J. Trabulsi, Jr., Allan Shivers, Jr., Hugh Rice Kelly and Michael S. Stevens lead this organization. Founded on principles of solid research, grassroots advocacy and bi-partisan cooperation, more than a dozen tort reform measures have been enacted since 1995. These measures and the ongoing effort of Texans for Lawsuit Reform are defined on this site. TLR has also helped scrutinize the legal fees associated with the Texas tobacco settlement.

Recent News

Congress overlooks plaintiff-lawyer abuses

The Hill Newspaper, April 22, 2008

In the wake of credit crises in both the mortgage and broader financial markets, Congress is busy conducting hearings and negotiating various proposals for regulatory reform with the executive branch. Following corporate accounting scandals at Enron, WorldCom and elsewhere several years ago, Congress quickly went to work tightening the regulation of corporate governance. So why has Congress yet to acknowledge, much less schedule a hearing, now that, within the past several months, three of the nation’s most powerful, widely known plaintiffs’ lawyers have all pled guilty to federal felonies in connection with their corruption of our civil justice system?

( categories: News Articles )

Lawsuit Reform Huge Boost to Texas Economy

TLR Press Release, April 28, 2008

(AUSTIN, TX) April 28, 2008 – A new report by nationally recognized economist Ray Perryman shows lawsuit reforms enacted in Texas beginning in 1995 have boosted the state’s economy, created hundreds of thousands of jobs and given Texas a resounding competitive advantage in these challenging economic times.

( categories: Press Releases )

A Fall and a Lesson

Washington Post, April 9, 2007

AT ONE TIME, William S. Lerach, Melvyn I. Weiss and Richard F. Scruggs would have been described as three of the nation's most feared and successful trial lawyers. Today, all three can simply be called crooks.

( categories: News Articles )

The TLR Story

"The TLR Story," is a short DVD that recounts of history of lawsuit reform in Texas and the lawsuit abuse challenges we continue to face in our state.

Click here to view the video

Working to restore balance to the Texas civil justice system

Texans for Lawsuit Reform is a volunteer-led organization working to restore fairness and balance to our civil justice system through political action; legal, academic, and market research; and grassroots initiatives.

This March 2008 Special Edition of The Advocate reprints news articles about the kinds of lawyers who appear to have a dangerous and destructive view of the practice of law, one in which greed, rather than justice, is the driving force. We bring these articles to your attention not to disparage the legal profession (two of TLR’s four co-founders are lawyers), but to highlight the kinds of ongoing abuses in the legal system that give rise to the need for the reforms which TLR advocates.

A Texas Turnaround: The Impact of Lawsuit Reform

A recently completed study found that the enactment of a series of lawsuit reforms, beginning in 1995, has transformed the state’s civil justice environment from one that previously hindered economic activity and deterred job growth to one that promotes productivity, enhances efficiency, creates jobs and boosts the competitiveness of the state’s businesses and industries in a global economy.

Visit the Texans for Lawsuit Reform Foundation to learn more...