These civil justice fact sheets, or MYTHBUSTERS!, are among the most comprehensive sources of information about the civil justice system that you'll find anywhere in the country.

They are regularly updated, and are fully accessible to certain CJ&D Members (Associates and Fellows) and Group Subscribers. (Members of the media should contact CJ&D for access.)

Some factsheets require a username & password - Join

Glossary

• Glossary of "Tort Reforms"
• Understanding Non-Economic Damages
  
  

Costs

• Debunking Myths About Tort System Costs
• The "Tort Tax Scam"
• The Degree and Cost of Medical Malpractice; Key Findings of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine

Economy

• Lawsuits and the Economy

Enron

• Enron, Stoneridge and "Scheme Liability"

Insurance Industry

• "Caps" Do Not Cause Insurance Rates to Drop
• The Real Story of Texas Insurance Rates (PDF)
• Insurance Regulation is the Answer! PDF
• Medical Malpractice Mismanagement – Why Some Major Insurers Have Pulled Out of the Market
• Allstate Negligent Practice of Law
• How the Insurance Industry Creates "Crises" and Leads the Charge for "Tort Refom"

Judiciary & Juries

• Jury Verdicts - Consistent and Conservative
• Punitive Damages: Rare Resonable, and Effective
• How Big Business Attacks Our Judges and Threatens the Independence of Our Judiciary
• Judges Show Extraordinary Support for the Civil Jury System
• The History of the Right to Trial by Jury in Civil Cases

Lawsuits

• Facts About Civil Justice Litigation in the United States
• Misleading Anecdotes About Lawsuits
• The "McDonald's Coffee Case" and Other Fictions (PDF)
• Arbitration - A Corporate End Run Around the Civil Justice System
• Discovery Abuse: How Corporations Abuse Our Civil Justice System
  
• Lawsuits Save Children's Lives (PDF)
• Lawsuits Save Senior's Lives (PDF)
  
• Lawsuits Save Women's Lives (PDF)
• Compensation Caps – The War on Women, Children, Seniors and the Poor (PDF)
• How Corporations Abuse Our Civil Justice System (PDF)
  

Lawyers

• Facts About Lawyers' Income and Fees
• Facts About the Number of U.S. Trial Lawyers

Medical Malpractice

• Facts About Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
• "Caps" Do Not Cause Insurance Rates to Drop
• Health Courts: Bad For Patients and Unconstitutional
• Consumer Groups And Medical Malpractice Survivors Form United Front Against “Health Courts” (PDF) Victim's Letter Consumer Groups Letter
• New England Journal of Medicine: The Legal System Works! PDF
• New England Journal of Medicine: Litigation Against Hospitals Improves Patient Safety PDF
• New Study Finds Malpractice Premiums Only A Small Fraction of Doctors’ Expenses PDF
• List of States that Have Declared "Tort Reform" Unconstitutional PDF
• Secrets and Lies--How Insurers Take from Patients to Pad Their Pockets PDF
• Medical Errors and Inadequate Care PDF
• Medical Malparactice Lawsuits Save Lives--Women, Children and Seniors PDF
• A Complete List of "Tort Reform" Laws for Hospitals and Doctors that are Already on the Books (Compiled through 2004) PDF
• Medical Liability Reform - Questions and Answers from the Center for Justice & Democracy
• Victims of Emergency/Trauma Care Malpractice
• Rural Access to Health Care--A Global Problem, Not a Lawsuit Problem
• The Discriminatory Impact of "Tort Reform" on Emergency Room Patients
• Doctors Seeking Special Liability Privileges are the Highest-Paid Occupations in the United States
• The Degree and Cost of Medical Malpractice; Key Findings of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine
• New Studies on Medical Errors and Inadequate Care  
• Doctors' Voices: The Problem with Malpractice is Malpractice
• Restricting the Rights of Women to Sue for Medical Malpractice Will Have Terrible Consequences for Women and Do Nothing to Reduce Insurance Rates for Doctors
• Medical Malpractice Mismanagement – Why Some Major Insurers Have Pulled Out of the Market
• Federal Medical Malpractice "Tort Reform" Is An Unprecedented Interference with States' Rights

Other Legislative Issues

• Asbestos

  Asbestos Cases Are Not Overwhelming Our Courts
  Senate Wisely Kills the Federal Asbestos Trust Fund (PDF)

• Auto

  Auto "Choice" No-Fault Is No Choice At All (And It Drives Up Insurance Rates)

• Chamber of Commerce

National Chamber Of Commerce Group To Release Deceptive And Misleading Attack On Wisconsin Business Climate (PDF)

National Chamber Of Commerce Group To Release Deceptive And Misleading Attack On Illinois Business Climate (PDF)

National Chamber Of Commerce Group To Release Deceptive And Misleading Attack On West Virginia Business Climate (PDF)

National Chamber Of Commerce Group To Release Deceptive And Misleading Attack On Florida Business Climate (PDF)

• Class Actions

  The Truth About Class Action Lawsuits

• Collateral Source

Weakening the Collateral Source Rule - Dangerous and Unwise PDF

• Constitutionality

  List of States that Have Declared "Tort Reform" Unconstitutional PDF
  Wisconsin High Court Strikes Down "Cap" PDF

• Crime

  "Tort Reforms" Let Criminals Off The Hook

• Environment

  Anyone Concerned About the Environment Should Actively Oppose "Tort Reform" Legislation
  Environmental Tort Lawsuits: Holding Polluters Accountable

• Guns

  Our Children are not Immune from Gun Violence. Why Should the Gun Industry be Immune from Responsibility?

• HMOs

  Bush and HMOs: Myth vs. Reality

• Politics
  
  

  Federal Medical Malpractice "Tort Reform" Is An Unprecedented Interference with States' Rights
  "Tort Reform" Violates Many Conservative Principles

• Products Liability
  
  

  Warning Labels Save Lives
  Facts About Products Liability Lawsuits

• Public Opinion

  Public Rejects Extreme "Tort Reform" Agenda
  

• Testimony and Legislation
  
  
  • Statement of Joanne Doroshow Before the House Subcommittee on Health (July 13, 2006)
  • Consumer Groups And Medical Malpractice Survivors Form United Front Against “Health Courts” (PDF) Victim's Letter Consumer Groups Letter
  • Consumer Group Letter Opposing Federal Asbestos Legislation (PDF)
  • Senate Wisely Kills the Federal Asbestos Trust Fund PDF
  • Testimony of Amber Hard Before the IL Senate Judiciary Committee (March 10, 2005)
  • Testimony of Amber Hard Before the IL House Judiciary Committee (February 23, 2005)
  • Statement of Joanne Doroshow Before the House Committee on Small Business (February 17, 2005)
  • Statement of Joanne Doroshow before the U.S. House Committee on Small Business, Hearing on Small Business Litigation Reform (July 22, 2004)
  • Statement by Joanne Doroshow before the Assembly Standing Committee on Health, Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Legislative Caucus (April 22, 2004)
  • Statement by Joanne Doroshow before the Florida Governor's Select Task Force on Healthcare Professional Liability Insurance (October 21, 2002)
  • Statement of Joanne Doroshow before the House Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law (June 12, 2002)
  • Model Insurance Reform Bill

• Tobacco

  Big Tobacco's Covert Role in "Tort Reform"

• Volunteers

  Volunteers and Liability: Girl Scouts, Little Leagues and the Ku Klux Klan

• Women
  
  
  • Women are Especially Hurt by "Tort Reform"
  • Restricting the Rights of Women to Sue for Medical Malpractice Will Have Terrible Consequences for Women and Do Nothing to Reduce Insurance Rates for Doctors
    
  • Lawsuits Save Women's Lives (PDF)
  • Compensation Caps – The War on Women, Children, Seniors and the Poor (PDF)

• Workers Compensation
  
  
  • The Failure of Workers' Compensation

Tort Reform Groups

• American Tort Reform Association
• APCO Associates
• Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse
• Washington Legal Foundation
• The Manhattan Institute

Individual copies of fact sheets are available free of charge to certain members and subscribers of CJ&D. A limited number of copies are available for purchase to non-members. Contact CJ&D for information on ordering individual copies of CJ&D's fact sheets.