Jon L. Christensen: “Yesterday this body began the monumental task of reforming America's legal system. Mr. Speaker, for too many years…”

“Yesterday this body began the monumental task of reforming America's legal system. Mr. Speaker, for too many years ridiculous legal judgments have been handed down in frivolous lawsuits where the only real winners are the lawyers. Mr. Speaker, some have suggested that we should leave this up to the individual States to decide. I am a true federalist at heart and I believe that in States where the State statute is stronger than the Federal law that State law should prevail. But there are States where the abuses of the judicial system have run amuck. Case in point, Alabama. Steve Flowers is a 13-year veteran of the Alabama legislature and chairman of the Insurance Committee for the Alabama House. In 1987 Mr. Flowers was the primary sponsor of Alabama's legal reform legislation, but he now strongly favors Federal legislation in this area. Why? Because in 1993 the Alabama Supreme Court in Henderson versus Alabama Power Company ruled that the Alabama legislature did not have the authority to impose limits on punitive damages. Mr. Speaker, in the first 11 months of 1994, juries in Alabama awarded more than $170 million in punitive damages, not including wrongful death actions. The time is now for true commonsense legal reform. This body must act now to turn the tide of lawsuit abuse and pass this measure to protect hard working Americans from the long arm of the trial lawyers.”