Key Vote Alert: Senate to vote Monday on Fair Share Act (Lawsuit Reform)
On Monday, the Senate is scheduled to vote on a very important lawsuit reform measure--Sen. Jake Corman's Fair Share Act--which would abolish "joint and several liability", also known as the "deep pocket" rule, and institute proportional liability.
Under the current "deep pocket" rule, a co-defendant can be made to pay the entire amount of monetary damages awarded by a jury to a plaintiff, regardless of the co-defendant's level of fault. For instance, if a jury awards a plaintiff $1 million, and co-defendant John Doe is found by the jury to be 10 percent at fault, while co-defendant Susie Smith is found to be 90 percent at fault, John Doe can be made to pay the full $1 million in damages simply because he has the "deep pockets." Under Sen. Corman's Fair Share Act, John Doe would only have to pay 10 percent of the damages, or $100,000, because he was found only 10 percent at fault.
The current lawsuit abuse in Pennsylvania chases entrepreneurs to states that have already enacted common-sense legal reform, and it imposes a hidden legal tax on goods and services that all taxpayers consume.
ACTION ITEM: Please contact the following Senators and encourage them to support the Corman Fair Share Act:
Sen. Gene Yaw: (570) 322-6457
Sen. John Pippy: (412) 262-2260
Sen. Rich Alloway: (717) 264-6100
Sen. Pat Browne: (610) 821-8468
