Press Releases

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

The Firm

Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2008

If there's a moral in this week's felony settlement by class-action lawsuit giant Milberg Weiss, it's this: Prosecutors should keep digging into tort-bar practices. The details are even worse than the headlines.

( categories: News Articles )

Big Penalty Set for Law Firm, but Not a Trial

NY Times, June 17, 2008

The best-known shareholder law firm in the country agreed on Monday to pay $75 million to dodge a criminal trial, ending a seven-year investigation that tarnished the profession’s image.

( categories: News Articles | News Archive - 2008 )

Weiss Gets 30-Month Sentence Law Firm's Ability To Be Lead Counsel Allowed for Big Fees

Wall Street Journal, June 3, 2008

The career of one of the nation's most entrepreneurial, controversial, philanthropic and rich lawyers came to a close Monday, as Melvyn Weiss was sentenced to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme in which he and his partners used kickbacks to gain an advantage in lucrative cases.

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.

The TLR Story

Click here to view the video

Health Justice: Texas Tort Reform - A Success Story

To see why Texas has become a national model for medical liability reform, view this presentation by Dr. John T. Gill, a Dallas orthopedic surgeon, who was directly involved in the battle to pass Proposition 12 in 2003. Video is courtesy of Center for Health Transformation.

View the streaming video

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 )

Lawsuit Reform Advocates Win Key Races

TLR Press Release, March 5, 2008

Advocates of a fair and balanced civil justice system won key victories in both Democratic and Republican primaries in Texas on Tuesday, beating back a deluge of cash from personal injury trial lawyers and once again demonstrating the commitment of Texas voters to ending lawsuit abuse.

( categories: Press Releases )