Bob Wise: “I would like to preface my remarks by saying that, yes, I did practice law before coming to the Congress. I think it…”

“I would like to preface my remarks by saying that, yes, I did practice law before coming to the Congress. I think it should be noted that personal injury suits of any kind were not a part of my practice. In fact, I spent years trying to figure out what was my practice, and I know this was not part of it, and so I do not necessarily have a stake in this in any way except to say that it is my observation that the only way some people are going to get to court is on the present basis. As the New York Times noted in an editorial several days ago, what this bill seeks to do is to overturn 200 years of United States common law, common law that, yes, is different from the mother country, Great Britain, where the loser does pay, but we made a decision in this country years ago, centuries ago, to divert from that because we felt that there ought to be access to the courts for all. I say to my colleagues, 'There is a very plain reality that, if you're a middle income person, you're going to have to think twice before you bring even a meritorious suit because your attorney, if he or she is doing their job, is going to have to caution you and say, 'I think you have a good case; it's a case I feel comfortable bringing,' remembering that that attorney is not paid for the most part, that attorney is not paid, unless there is a victory.”