Bar Association Opposes Lawsuit Reform

From www.tulsaworld.com ~ The Oklahoma Bar Association went on the offensive Tuesday, lashing out at lawsuit-reform measures.

The group also opposes measures that it views as an attempt to inject politics into the selection of judges.

House Bill 1603 would cap so-called "pain and suffering" damages at $300,000 and require an expert witness to certify that a lawsuit has merit.

HB 1602 calls for a statewide vote on limiting attorneys' contingency fees to 33 percent of the first $1 million and 20 percent of greater than that amount.

The Bar Association opposes legislation that would "hamper the rights of ordinary citizens to have their day in court," President Jon K. Parsley said at a press conference. "It further opposes having the Legislature set the amount of damages that can be awarded in every case, replacing the constitutional right of citizens to have their case determined by a jury of their peers."

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