Cyrus Dugger

Tort “Reform” Hypocrites Vol. 5

This series highlights the work of the Center for Justice and Democracy and others in identifying proponents of tort “reform” who have sought to limit access to the courts, but who when financially or physically injured waste no time in going to the very courthouse they made inaccessible to others.

As the Center for Justice and Democracy explains:

"No one likes a hypocrite. Yet one would be hard pressed to find
more hypocrites than in the 'tort reform' movement. Take a look
at the record of a host of lawmakers, lobbyists and even journalists
who complain about lawsuits and argue that the rights of injured
consumers to go to court should be scaled back because we are too
'litigious.' Yet when they or family members are hurt and need
compensation for their own injuries, often minor ones, these same
individuals do not hesitate to use the courts to obtain
compensation, to right a wrong, to hold a wrongdoer accountable
or to obtain justice."

Our fifth showcase is “Lawsuit Abuse” Group Founder and Trustee, Sterling Cornelius:

Sterling Cornelius, owner of Cornelius Nurseries and Turkey Creek Farms in Houston and a trustee of the corporate frontgroup, Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA), is one of the most vocal businessmen complaining about lawsuits and advocating tort restrictions in Texas. With the help and support of the Texas CALA group, Texas enacted a series of “tort reforms” in 1995, including caps on punitive damages and severe restrictions on lawsuits filed under Texas’ Deceptive Trade Practices Act.14 But in 1993, Sterling filed a $100 million lawsuit against DuPont, claiming that its fungicide, Benlate, damaged his companies’ crop and nursery. Among the damages Cornelius sought were $75.3 million in punitive damages under the Deceptive Trade Practices Act as well as additional punitive damages. Because his lawsuit was filed before enactment of the 1995 legislation, his lawsuit was not affected by the “tort reforms” that passed. - Center for Justice & Democracy

Reasonable minds can disagree about the tort “reform” debate, but to advocate one side of this debate in the public forum and as applied to others, and then take another side in your own personal life as applied to your own interests, is shameful.

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Posted at 12:46 PM, Jan 03, 2007 in
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