The top brass of the Georgia State Legislature, Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) and Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R-GA), have been adamant in their goal to institute "tort" reform. According to the Legal Information Institute, a tort is "an act or omission that gives rise to injury or harm to another and amounts to a civil wrong for which courts impose liability."
A tort is usually done outside of a legal contract as well.
Moreover, tort reform aims to limit the ability to file a lawsuit or cap the amount of damages that can be received.
Gov. Kemp's initiative to end tort costs for Georgia residents from a multitude of policy fixes including seatbelt evidence admissibility; phantom damages; anchoring; third-party litigation financing; premises liability; double recovery of attorneys’ fees; bifurcated trials; plaintiff dismissal during trial; and motion to dismiss timing.
Research from Citizens Against Law Abuse (CALA), estimates that Georgians can pay as high as $2,084 per person in tort fees, and pay $1,373 on average.
The Peach State governor said this of tort reform in late January.
"As I said in my State of the State address earlier this month, our legal environment is draining family bank accounts and hurting job creators of all sizes in nearly every industry in our state," said Governor Brian Kemp. "After months of listening to our citizens, businesses, and stakeholders across the spectrum, it is clear the status quo is unacceptable, unsustainable, and jeopardizes our state's prosperity in the years to come. This tort reform package protects the rights of all Georgians to have access to our civil justice system, and ensures that those who have been wronged receive justice and are made whole. I look forward to working with our partners in the General Assembly to pass this comprehensive and commonsense package, and achieve meaningful progress on this important issue during this legislative session."
Furthermore, Lt. Gov. Jones added that this initiative would "put families and consumers first" by address the issue.
"My position on this important issue has always been the same," said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. "If we want to continue to be the No. 1 state in which to do business, we must foster a business-friendly climate. We have to work together to ensure that we put families and consumers first by tackling the hidden costs we all pay thanks to Georgia’s current tort laws. I look forward to working with those in the General Assembly to move these bills through the legislative process."
