Monday, February 20, 2012

MS Litigation Review outs a very, very nasty piece of legislation

MSLitigationReview.com has a great post up today.  Thanks to Philip, we know that Rep. Gary Chism (R - Columbus), whom frequent readers will remember as the newly-appointed chairman of the House Insurance Committee, has authored House Bill 562 that would (get this):
  1. Require losing plaintiffs and their lawyers to pay the defense's attorneys' fees and costs, and
  2. Prevent losing defendants from having to pay the plaintiff's attorneys' fees and costs.
But here's another kicker: If the plaintiff was paying his lawyer by the hour, then the new rule wouldn't apply.  Why, you ask?  Because ever since Joe Jamail made a killing off of the Penzoil v. Texaco suit, corporate plaintiffs have been paying their lawyers by the hour.

Well, what about the rest of us?  You know, regular middle and working class folks in Mississippi?  We use contingency fee arrangements with our attorneys when we're hurt by someone.  That's because when you're hurt and missing work, you can't afford to pay a lawyer's bills on top of the light bills.  So if you or I lose a lawsuit, we have to pay the defendant's bills.  But rich folks and corporations don't.

If you need any further proof that the Republican majority in the Legislature is flat-out bought and paid for by out-of-state corporate interests, then you aren't paying attention or are willfully blind.  Either way, you need to stop clamoring for a return of the literacy tests.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The truly sad and tragic aspects of not only this particular bill, but basically ALL of the bills submitted almost two months now into this legislative session, is that NONE of them address any of the problems that I hear regular every day working and taxpaying Mississippians talking about. I hear these folks talking about the lack of any new jobs, talking about the fact that they paid dearly for a child's college education, only to that child relocate somewhere else like Atlanta or Nashville to find employment. They talk about the need for better roads, better schools, lower Coastal County property insurance rates, better paying jobs, increased law enforcement presence and more up to date library facilities. But, what do they get in response to these concerns and wishes, they get a Republican majority state legislature that spends 2 months and wastes millions of their precious tax dollars addressing NOTHING AT ALL that they gives a rats-butt about!!!

James said...

Bill b, youve got to get a life and read more than clttenchickens rant against the new GOP majority in the house. There are hundreds of bills filed in both houses, some addressing the things you list. Thank the good Lord, even many of then won't se the light of day because they are treading where government shouldn't go.
cottenchicken likes talking about bills like this, filed at the request of a constituent, implying that this never happened before the new administration took charge. dont worry, this legislature will pass way too many pieces of legislation trying to "solve" your concerns.

Anonymous said...

James, I promise you my friend that I do not find your low-ed attempt at humor to be very funny. Good luck to you in the future.