Lindsey Graham: “I, like others of my colleagues, would like to see closure on this issue. Before I got into politics, I was a lawyer. I…”

“I, like others of my colleagues, would like to see closure on this issue. Before I got into politics, I was a lawyer. I admire our legal system. In many ways, people have their chance to be judged by their neighbors. I am very respectful of the jury trial. However, in the class action arena of the law, I find more abuses than solutions. I don't believe the Constitution ever envisioned the class action litigation model that we have come up with where you can create your own false diversity and you can run everybody to Illinois or Mississippi because business is involved. I believe the removal process in this bill where the judge has discretion to remove cases from State court to Federal court will correct some abuses. I believe the coupon cases were never what the law was meant to be about. The legal reforms in this bill I support. I have an amendment. I hope we can get to it. It would allow a procedure to be had in terms of pursuing settlement. Consumers need to be told about the Pinto case and need to be informed when products are dangerous, but companies need not be required to give proprietary information without having their say. I have an amendment that would allow the judge in a particular case to rule on whether documents would be subject to seal. I think the South Carolina rule is a very reasonable rule. But whether we get to this, I believe this bill's time has come, and it is now time for the Senate to act.”