Capping ten years of reform efforts, in 2003 the Texas Legislature enacted the strongest litigation reform legislation in the nation. Two years later it passed the country’s most effective asbestos and silica litigation reforms. Given that these reforms were adopted in a state long known as a plaintiff lawyer’s paradise, other reform groups could profit by a study of the experience of the leading Texas reform group, Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR). This paper summarizes that experience.

Rick Perry has been a strong advocate for civil justice reform throughout his years as Governor. He provided leadership on the sweeping tort reforms of 2003 (HB 4, the Omnibus Tort Reform Bill), the 2005 reform to eliminate the outrageous abuses in asbestos and silica litigation (SB 15) and, this year, the reform of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (HB 3) and the Omnibus Tort Reform Bill (HB 274), which includes mechanisms to discourage meritless lawsuits and to encourage early and fair settlements in litigation. In addition, the Governor has judiciously but assertively used his veto power to prevent harmful legislation from becoming law.