On the recordJune 12, 2003
I support H.R. 1115, the Class Action Fairness Act. This bill reforms the class action system and addresses the abuses that harm so many Americans. In recent years, State courts have been flooded with thousands of frivolous lawsuits. Lawyers looking for the most favorable jurisdictions conduct the equivalent of a legal shopping spree. They use loopholes so class action suits can be heard in State courts rather than Federal courts. Today, State courts employ criteria so loosely defined that virtually any controversy can qualify as a class action. We have all heard of the lawsuits in which the plaintiffs walk away with pennies, sometimes literally, while their attorneys walk away with millions of dollars in fees. For instance, in a suit against Chase Manhattan Bank... Even The Washington Post has acknowledged that under the present system 'lawyers cash in, while the `clients' get coupons.'
Source
govinfo.gov
