Tiger Joyce, president of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), announced that the organization is urging the Georgia House to pass tort reform aimed at addressing punitive and unethical verdicts in the state. Joyce made this statement in a press release on February 24.
"We urge the members of the House to answer the call of their colleagues in the senate and send this legislation to the governor's desk," said Joyce. "Georgia's civil justice system has been on the decline for more than half of a decade now, but the state skyrocketed to the top of the Judicial Hellholes rankings after a record-breaking $1.7 billion punitive damage verdict in August 2022 in a case riddled with biased rulings and ethical concerns. If Georgia wishes to continue touting its status as the best place in the country to run a business, it needs to put commonsense measures in place to rein in these runaway verdicts."
The Georgia Senate recently passed Senate Bill 68 with a 33-21 vote, advancing key tort reform measures. The bill, which now moves to the House for further consideration, addresses issues such as phantom damages, jury anchoring, and the admissibility of seat belt evidence. According to ATRA, they praised the Senate's swift action on the legislation and urged House members to act quickly to pass the bill.
On February 7, Protecting American Consumers Together (PACT) released a poll indicating that 72% of Georgia voters believe lawsuit abuse increases the cost of goods and services. The survey, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from February 2-5, also found bipartisan support for addressing lawsuit abuse: Republicans (88%), Independents (64%), and Democrats (62%). Additionally, 85% of voters consider it important for the Legislature to address lawsuit abuse to reduce hidden taxes on consumers. The poll also revealed that 82% of individuals who have used personal injury lawyers support reforms to the current system.
A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform reported that rising tort costs in Georgia are placing a growing financial burden on households by driving up insurance premiums and overall living costs. In 2022, these costs reached nearly $20 billion in Georgia, averaging over $2,000 per household. These expenses stem from civil litigation, claim compensation, and administrative costs impacting both businesses and consumers.
According to InsuranceRateReporter.com on February 18, a survey by the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) and Munich Re US found that plaintiff lawyer tactics like third-party litigation funding (TPLF) and jury anchoring contribute significantly to rising insurance costs with an estimated $529 billion impact on the U.S. economy. The survey shows that 69% of Americans believe these practices drive up insurance premiums while 86% support legal reforms to address these issues. However, many respondents remain unaware of these tactics; with 75% unfamiliar with jury anchoring and 70% not recognizing TPLF.
Sherman "Tiger" Joyce is a graduate of Princeton University and Catholic University Law School. He served as legislative assistant to U.S. Senator John C. Danforth until 1984. In 1987, after being admitted to the Virginia Bar, he became minority counsel to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation where he worked on product liability legislation before assuming his current position in August 1994.