American Tort Reform Association
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The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), a 501(c)(6) was founded in 1986 by the American Council of Engineering Companies as an organization in Washington, D.C. to advocate for tort reform in America. ATRA lists its goal as "greater fairness, predictability and efficiency to America's civil justice system."[1] ATRA says its membership is diverse, having for-profit and nonprofits, small and large businesses and state and national organizations. A sample member list can be found here.
Mission
According to ATRA, the civil justice system is in need of repair. ATRA describes the system as follows:
| “ | Aggressive personal injury lawyers target certain professions, industries, and individual companies as profit centers. They systematically recruit clients who may never have suffered a real illness or injury and use scare tactics, combined with the promise of awards, to bring these people into massive class action suits. They effectively tap the media to rally sentiment for multi-million-dollar punitive damage awards. This leads many companies to settle questionable lawsuits just to stay out of court.[2] | ” |
| —ATRA[1] | ||
What they want
ATRA wants reform in certain areas of law and society. For example, ATRA supports limitations on liability doctors face for medical malpractice and on punitive and noneconomic damages an injured plaintiff can receive. In addition, ATRA would abolish joint and several liability, where two or more people are sued and a judgment is entered against them all. The winning plaintiff can collect from any or all of the defendants until the judgment is satisfied. ATRA would also like to see the collateral source doctrine abolished, changes to products liability laws and a more rigid structure for expert testimony. Finally, ATRA promotes jury service, a hallmark of the American judicial system.[1]
How they do it
ATRA contacts and backs elected officials and judges who are sympathetic to their cause. It also uses the media to get their message out about the need for tort reform.[1]
In addition to lobbying lawmakers for new legislation and speaking with judges, ATRA has used billboards in the past to identify lawyers who engage in what it deems unethical behavior. According to an ATRA press release, one such billboard was put up in San Antonio, Texas, to target Trey Wilson, a lawyer ATRA claimed filed a $2 billion bogus products liability lawsuit against DaimlerChrysler. Wilson based the lawsuit on allegedly fake evidence and attempted to intimidate witnesses. The case was dismissed and Wilson received $1 million in sanctions as a result of his behavior.[3]
ATRA also sponsors the website Judicial Hellholes, which highlights the worst courts in America for abuse of the civil justice system. The program was launched in 2002.[4]
Citizen groups
ATRA has also organized citizen groups across the nation. These groups are comprised of people who want to see changes in the civil justice system. ATRA says citizen groups work within their communities to engage their fellow citizens on topics such as individual responsibility, personal safety, and the abuses that occur in the civil justice system.[5]
Recent news
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 ATRA, "About ATRA," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ ATRA, "ATRA Billboard Targets Unethical Attorney in San Antonio," June 6, 2006
- ↑ Judicial Hellholes, "About," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ ATRA, CALAS," accessed April 7, 2015
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