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Colorado Eye on Legal Reform
Union Initiative Deal Struck Late Wednesday night a deal was made with representatives of labor to pull the four anti-business union initiatives from the ballot: Criminal Accountability of Business Executives (Amendment 53), Just Cause Termination (Amendment 55), Mandated Health Insurance (Amendment 56) and Remedies for Injured Employees (Amendment 57). The CCJL opposed these initiatives because of the dramatic expansion in litigation they would have driven. The passage of any of the four would have been detrimental to Colorado's business climate. CCJL would like to extend its appreciation to those who worked so hard, on both sides, to put Coloradoans first. The Rocky Mountain News Article can be found here Colorado Attracts National Press for Degradation of Tort Climate While Colorado has long been regarded as a national leader in enacting reforms to stop lawsuit abuse, the political landscape in Colorado is changing so dramatically that we are now getting national attention for the degradation of Colorado's tort climate. The Wall Street Journal recently printed an article about trial lawyers' attempts to push their agenda at the federal and state levels, already dumping close to $110 million into legislative elections in 2008. Alarmingly, the article specifically cites Colorado as a battleground for tort reform and points to Governor Bill Ritter's signing into law one 2007 provision that increased the limit on non-economic damages in general liability cases. A recent article in Directorship Magazine reported that the state's liability climate, once one of the best, is now only neutral, and unfolding events further threaten its position. The article states, "Colorado saw its ranking fall sharply from 10th last year to 22nd this year. The state's liability climate, once one of the best, is now only neutral, and unfolding events further threaten its position. Watch for Colorado's liability climate to further degrade and become hostile to growth and job development. " Tort reform is something businesses look at heavily when considering where to base their operations. Although tort reform has not been of paramount concern to businesses due to our relatively positive climate, the continued negative national press and scrutiny could easily affect the likelihood of businesses investing and relocating to Colorado. Colorado Lawsuit News In the News Couple sues HOA for being too lax Longmont residents Brian and Sheri Bernal turned the tables on their local Home Owner's Association, suing it not for being too overbearing with rules enforcement but for being too relaxed. Suit in Aurora-cop dispute settled Loree McCormick-Rice and her daughter, Cassidy Rice, have reached a settlement with the city of Aurora, and the lawsuit they filed over a dispute they had with a police sergeant in the parking lot of King Soopers has been dismissed. Defrocking Tort Reform: Stopping Personal Injury Lawyers From Repealing Existing Tort Reforms and Expanding Rights to Sue In State Legislatures From the American Tort Reform Association As we are gearing up for the next legislative session, it would be wise to read up on the emerging trends in what the trial bar is trying to pass at state legislative levels so you know what to be on the lookout for. If you see an article on lawsuit abuse you think others should see, please
e-mail it to info@ccjl.com. |
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1125 17th Street, Suite 600 - Denver, CO 80202 - Tel 303.628.3313 - Fax 303.293.3236 - info@ccjl.org Copyright © 2008 Colorado Civil Justice League. All rights reserved. The CCJL is an affiliate of the American Tort Reform Association |
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