7th Amendment Advocate to Lead Discussion on Tennesseans’ Rights to Jury Trial

You only think you know all about the civil justice case in which the lady spilled hot McDonald’s coffee on her lap. Andrew Cochran of the blog, 7th Amendment Advocate, will in Tennessee to discuss the 7th Amendment and the many ways in which the system is rigged to deny the 99% access to justice. WHEN: Tuesday, February 21, at 3:30 [...]

Kicking Hardworking Tennesseans When They’re Down, Part 3 – The Loser Pays Edition

After reading this story in the Tennessean this morning we have to state once again, when will Governor Bill Haslam and Republican lawmakers ask, “Is this legislation good for the hardworking people of Tennessee” before they ask, “Is this legislation good for large corporations and their CEOs?” The article’s title and sub-title: “More TN tort [...]

Public Justice and North Carolina Legal Team Hold Payday Lenders Accountable

From a Public Justice Media Release: It took six years and countless briefs, motions, court dates and arguments. But, most of all, it took a determined team of public interest advocates to finally win justice for the tens of thousands of North Carolinians who turned to large payday lending companies in a time of desperation, [...]

The ALEC – Tennessee Connection

ALEC, or the American Legislative Exchange Council, a group made up of representatives of large corporations and primarily conservative state legislators, works this way: ALEC members – large corporations with special interests – give them millions of dollars. ALEC holds conferences for state legislators State legislators attend these conferences and take home “cookie-cutter” legislation written [...]

Tennesseans Burned Again

Nothing you know of the story of the lady who sued McDonald’s because she burned herself on their hot coffee is true. If you want to know the facts of the case, listen to the On the Media interview with civil just attorney and documentary filmmaker Susan Saladoff and then watch her HBO doc, “Hot [...]

Gail Kerr Column Summarizes Squirrely Priorities of State Legislature

In today’s Tennessean: “There’s a central theme in this legislature, and it is enough to drive a person bonkers. They ran for office vowing to keep government off your backs and not to stick its nose where it doesn’t belong. But example after example keeps popping up of them doing just the opposite. Local school [...]

Miscarriage of Justice Act Passes Out of House Judiciary

On Tuesday, 4/19/11, HB2008 passed out of the TN House Judiciary Committee. Below you can watch the discussion, including attempts to add amendments that make the bill more fair to hardworking Tennesseans (who are not known to file many lawsuits and who have been protected by the TN Consumer Protection Act since 1977). One amendment [...]

Part 2: Rep. Mike Stewart Also Questions the Justice in Caps on Damages Discussion

Watch a clip from the discussion of HB2008 (Governor Bill Haslam’s caps on damages bill)  in last week’s House Judiciary Committee. In the clip, Rep. Mike Stewart questions Rep. Dennis Vance about an amendment which would allow certain felons to be covered under the caps. The discussion continues today in both the House and Senate [...]

Rep. Mike Stewart Questions the Numbers in Caps on Damages Discussion

Watch a clip from the discussion of HB2008 in last week’s House Judiciary Committee. In the clip, Rep. Mike Stewart questions some of the numbers Mississippi State Senator Charlie Ross cited in his testimony about the results of his states’ caps on damages legislation. The discussion continues today in both the House and Senate Judiciary [...]

TN State Senator Mike Faulk: Tort reform bill defies principles of justice

In a guest op-ed, Tennessee State Senator and attorney Mike Faulk explains why caps on damages (like those proposed in Governor Bill Haslam‘s legislative package) are antithetical to our system of justice: The legislature is being asked to limit responsibility in tort cases to no more than the amount of the cap. That’s like asking [...]

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