[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 8, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E545]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                   RESTORING ATTORNEY ACCOUNTABILITY

                                 ______


                            HON. RON PACKARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 8, 1995
  Mr. PACKARD. Mr. Speaker, our civil justice system is caught in a web 
of abuse. It is time to stop unscrupulous lawyers who rig the system to 
generate profits rather than justice. Excessive legal claims, frivolous 
lawsuits, and overzealous lawyers overburden our justice system. 
Republicans know this and are working to restore fairness to our legal 
system.
  Our civil justice system is a lawyer's paradise. We sue each other 
too often and too easily. Excessive litigation and jury awards alone 
cost Americans $130 billion.
  Instead of a legal system that citizens trust and rely upon, ours 
remains dominated by savvy experts that grow rich from confusion, greed 
and fear. Republicans pledge to reverse this trend by passing 
meaningful civil justice reform. Our Attorney Accountability Act, H.R. 
988, works to creates a fair legal system that recognizes lawsuits with 
merit and rewards real victims rather than rewarding greedy lawyers.
  This bill's ``loser pays'' provision curtails frivolous lawsuits, 
opening the system to legitimate grievances. It ensures that expert 
witnesses will be unbiased and reliable. Furthermore, this bill will 
sanction unethical attorneys who abuse the system for their benefit. 
H.R. 988 helps restore sensibility and efficiency to our litigation 
madness.
  Mr. Speaker, the courts are supposed to protect the consumers and 
workers in our society, not the lawyers. Frivolous lawsuits and 
outlandish damage awards make a sham out of our civil court system. 
H.R. 988 injects common sense into our legal system by closing the door 
to people who use our courts in an abusive way.


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