TEXAS REFORMS

Appeal Bond Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Limits the amount a defendant can be required to pay to secure the right to appeal to the lesser of 50% of a defendant’s net worth or $25 million.  Provides that defendants are no longer required to post a bond to appeal punitive damages.  Provides that foreign judgments cannot be executed in Texas if appeal is pending in a foreign jurisdiction and a bond has been or will be posted.

Asbestos/Silica Litigation Reform: SB 15 (2005). Establishes medical criteria for all pending and future asbestos claims, including a requirement that all claimants submit a qualifying medical report with a     pulmonary function test that demonstrates physical impairment.  Provides that all pending asbestos claims that have not been scheduled for trial within 90 days after the effective date, except for cases involving cancer, are subject to the multi-       district litigation court process.  Assures that the most seriously ill—those suffering from mesothelioma or other malignancy caused exposure to asbestos or silica—will receive expedited trials and adequate compensation for their injuries.  Requires that each asbestos case be tried on its own merits, not as a “bundle” of claims that may include a few truly sick claimants and dozens of unimpaired claimants.  Shuts down the “mass screening” of potential asbestos and silica claimants that has resulted in tens of thousands of unimpaired asbestos claims in the courts.

Asbestos Liability Reform: Successor Liability: HB 4 (2003).    Provides that if a company with liability for mining or sale of asbestos-containing products was merged or acquired by a successor prior to May 13, 1968, the limit of the successor company’s liability for asbestos claims as a result of the acquisition is limited to the FMV of the acquired company at the time of acquisition.  The limitation applies to “successors of successors,” based on the FMV of the initially acquired company at the time of the initial acquisition.

Barratry: S.B. 1716 (2011).  Provides that a client may bring an action to void any contract for legal services that was procured as a result of barratry by attorneys or other persons.  The client is entitled to receive all fees and damages paid to that person under any voided contract, actual damages caused by the prohibited conduct and reasonable attorney's fees and the attorney at fault shall pay a civil penalty of $5,000.

Class Action Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Provides for the interlocutory appeal of class action certification.  Reforms attorney fees whereby fees are based on time and cost expended rather than a percentage of recovery.  Provides for stay on all proceedings during appeal of class certification.  Provides for administrative relief which requires a court to consider administrative relief from state agencies before certifying a class.

Contributory Negligence Reform: SB 5 (1987).  Affirms the law that bars recovery of damages in negligence cases if the plaintiff is more than 50% responsible for his injuries and extends the law to include negligence cases for financial damages against professionals.  Bars recovery of damages against the manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of a product if the plaintiff is 60% or more responsible for his injuries. 

Deceptive Trade Practices Litigation Reform: Damages Limits: HB 668 (1995).  Refocuses the original law's intent to protect consumers from fraud and deceptive practices.  Limits recovery to economic damages in most cases.  Allows treble damages if the seller knew his conduct was fraudulent or deceptive.

Early Offer of Settlement: HB 274 (2011). The main elements of the legislation are as follows: (1) an early dismissal of actions provision in which the Texas Supreme Court is directed to promulgate a new rule of civil procedure providing for the dismissal of cases that have no basis in law or fact; (2) a section that requires the Texas Supreme Court to promulgate rules of civil procedure to “promote the prompt, efficient, and cost-effective resolution of civil actions” in which the amount in dispute is less than $100,000; (3) removal of a requirement that a trial judge obtain permission from all parties before he or she can certify a question for appellate review, and clarification of the procedure for taking the appeal; (4) changes and modifications to the early offer of settlement statute which are intended to make the statute more balanced and, therefore, more useful; and (5) provisions pertaining to the designation of responsible third parties.

Early Offer of Settlement: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that provisions may only be initiated by defendant, but once initiated, plaintiff may invoke them as well.  Provides that if a defendant makes an offer that is rejected, and the plaintiff does not obtain a judgment for at least 80% of the amount, the plaintiff must pay attorney fees and costs incurred after rejection.  Provides that if a plaintiff makes an offer that is rejected, and the judgment exceeds 120% of the amount, the defendant must pay attorney fees and costs incurred after rejection.  Provides that the amount of fees and costs shifted cannot exceed the sum of noneconomic damages, punitive damages, and 50% of economic damages.

Firefighters Liability Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that volunteer fire and EMT personnel are liable only to the extent a county or county employees are liable.

Forum Non Conveniens: HB 755 (2005). Restores the discretion of trial court judges to dismiss lawsuits with little or no connection to Texas under the doctrine of forum non conveniens.

Forum Non Conveniens Doctrine: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that the court must decline jurisdiction if there is a better forum for the suit.

Forum Non Conveniens Doctrine: SB 220 (1997).  Restores the common-law doctrine of forum non conveniens to allow the court to decline to exercise jurisdiction in an action or claim for personal injury or wrongful death that arose outside of the state.

Forum Non Conveniens Doctrine: SB 2 (1993).  Reinstates the forum non conveniens doctrine, which permits a court to decline to hear a case if justice would be better served by trying the case elsewhere.

Frivolous Lawsuit Sanction: SB 31 (1995).  Adopts Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 so that a court may impose sanctions when a groundless lawsuit is filed.

Frivolous Lawsuit Sanction: SB 5 (1987).  Allows courts to impose sanctions on attorneys and parties who file frivolous lawsuits.  

Good Samaritan Protection: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that volunteer workers for charitable organizations are immune from suit except for intentional torts and gross negligence.

Good Samaritan Protection: SB 215 (1999).  Protects licensed health care providers who volunteer their services for or on behalf of charitable organizations from civil liability.

Good Samaritan Protection: SB 9 (1987).  Limits the liability of charitable organizations and their employees to $500,000 for each person, $1,000,000 for each occurrence of bodily harm, and $100,000 for each occurrence of property damage.  Makes volunteers immune from liability for harm resulting from the performance of their duties for a charitable organization.

Government Employee Immunity: HB 4 (2003).   Provides that government employees acting in course of employment cannot be subject to more than $100,000 in damages if they are indemnified or insured by the governmental entity for the first $100,000.

Government Liability Reform: HB 383 (1995).  Provides a $100,000 limit for specified cases of governmental liability.

Government Retention of Personal Injury Lawyers: SB 113 (1999).  Requires that the state attempt to handle all litigation through in-house counsel.  Provides that when seeking outside counsel, the contracting agency must first seek an hourly fee arrangement.   Provides that contingent fee contracts in excess of $100,000 be approved by a Legislative Review Board.  Requires that at the conclusion of contingent fee representation, the state receive a statement of hours worked and total fees recovered.

Interlocutory Appeals Reform: SB 453 (1997).  Amends the Texas statute to allow an interlocutory appeal for a special appearance or a jurisdictional challenge over a unit of state or local government before the time and expense of trial have been incurred the land.

Joint and Several Liability Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Defendant pays only assessed percentage of fault unless defendant is 50% or more responsible.  Defendants can designate (as opposed to join) other responsible third parties whose fault contributed to causing plaintiff’s harm.  In toxic tort cases, the threshold for joint and several liability raised from 15% to 50%.

Joint and Several Liability Reform: SB 28 (1995).  Bars application of the rule of joint and several liability in the recovery of all damages from defendants found to be less than 51% at fault.

Joint and Several Liability Reform: SB 5 (1987).  Bars application of the rule of joint and several liability in the recovery of all damages from defendants found to be less than 20% at fault, except when a plaintiff is found to be fault free and a defendant’s share exceeds 10%, and when damages result from environmental pollution or hazardous waste.

Jury Service Reform: SB 1704 (2005). Increases juror pay in both civil and criminal cases from not less than $6 per day to not less than $40 per day, beginning on the second day of service.  The increased compensation is to be financed by a $4 fee placed on individuals convicted of a crime.  Provides prospective jurors with one automatic postponement from service, in which case service must be rescheduled within six months after the date of the original summons.

Medical Liability Reform: Emergency Room Physicians and OB-GYNs: HB 18 (1989).  Indemnifies emergency room physicians and OB-GYNs for the first $100,000.

Medical Liability Reform: Jury Instruction: HB 18 (1989).  Requires that juries be instructed that a bad medical outcome does not necessarily justify a finding of negligence.

Medical Liability Reform: Pretrial Requirements: HB 971 (1995).  Requires a plaintiff to file a $5,000 cost bond (a bond given by a litigant to secure the payment of court costs), place $5,000 in an escrow account, or file an expert report for each physician or health care provider listed in the claim.  The Medical Liability and Insurance Improvement Act’s requirement that a plaintiff either file a cost bond or submit an expert report with a medical malpractice claim did not violate due process under the State or Federal Constitutions and was not a “special law” in violation of the State Constitution.  McGlothlin v. Cullington, 989 S.W.2d 449 (Tex. App. 1999), cert. denied, 120 S. Ct. 616 (1999).

Medical Liability Reform: Noneconomic Damages Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Limits the award of noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases to $250,000 against all doctors and health care practitioners and a $250,000 per-facility cap against health care facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, with an overall cap of $500,000 against health care facilities, creating in effect an overall limit of noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases of $750,000.

Medical Liability Reform: Sound Science: HB 18 (1989).  Requires that expert witnesses be practicing physicians.

Medical Liability Reform: Volunteer Physicians: HB 18 (1989).  Indemnifies physicians with a case load of at least 10% or more charity cases that meet risk management and insurance requirements for the first $25,000.

Medical Liability Reform: Wrongful Death: Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat. art. 4590i § 11.02.  Limits damages in wrongful death actions to $500,000. The statute originally limited damages in all negligence actions, but the Texas Supreme Court held it unconstitutional except as to wrongful death actions in Rose v. Doctors Hospital, 801 S.W.2d 841 (Tex. 1990)  .

Multi-district Litigation Reform: HB 4 (2003).    Provides for the creation of a multi-district panel which can consolidate any cases with common issues of fact in a single district court for pre-trial proceedings, including disposition short of trial.

Noneconomic Damages Reform: H.J.R. 3/Proposition 12 (2003).  Constitutional amendment that provides that the Texas Legislature has the authority to place limits on noneconomic damages.

Obesity Litigation Reform – HB 107 (2005).  Exempts from civil liability trade associations, livestock producers, agricultural producers and manufacturers, sellers, marketers, distributors, and advertisers of food (as defined in 21 U.S.C. 321 (f);(g);(i)) for claims arising out of weight gain, obesity, a health condition associated with weight gain or obesity, or other generally known conditions allegedly caused by or allegedly likely to result from long-term consumption of food.  This liability exemption includes actions brought by a person other than the individual whose weight gain, obesity, or health condition the action is based.  It also includes any derivative action brought by or         on behalf of any individual or any representative, spouse, parent, child, or other relative or individual.  The liability exemption does not apply for a violation of federal or state law applicable to the manufacturing, marketing, distribution, advertising, labeling or sale of food and the violation was committed knowingly and willfully.  The liability exemption also does not prohibit an action from being brought under Chapter 431, Health Safety Code; or by the attorney general        under Section 17.47, Business & Commerce Code.  Provides that discovery and all other proceedings shall be stayed during a motion to dismiss.

Officers and Directors Liability Reform: SB 5 (1987).  Allows shareholders of a corporation to vote to exempt their directors from personal liability.

Prejudgment Interest Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Sets the prejudgment interest rate to the New York Federal Reserve prime rate, with a floor of 5% and a ceiling of 15%.

Prejudgment Interest Reform: HB 971 (1995).  Allows prejudgment interest only for damages that occurred before judgment.

Prejudgment Interest Reform: SB 6 (1987).  Limits the period during which prejudgment interest may accrue if the defendant has made an offer to settle the lawsuit.

Product Liability Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Provides for a 15 year statute of repose for product liability cases.  In cases involving latent diseases, the plaintiff must have been exposed within 15 years of the product’s sale and must show symptoms more than 15 years after the sale.  Provides for an innocent seller provision which prohibits actions against non-manufacturing sellers except in specific circumstances such as if the seller participated in the design of the product or knew of the defect at the time of the sale.  Provides for the presumption that a product is not defective if it meets mandatory government standards or was approved or licensed by the FDA.  Allows plaintiff to rebuff by showing material omission or misrepresentation to agency, or that standards were insufficient to provide reasonable safety.

Product Liability Reform: SB 4 (1993).  Requires proof of an economically and technologically feasible safer alternative design available at the time of manufacture in most product liability actions for defective design.  Provides a defense for manufacturers and sellers of inherently unsafe products that are known to be unsafe.  Establishes a fifteen‑year statute of repose for product liability actions against manufacturers or sellers of manufacturing equipment.  Provides protection for innocent retailers and wholesalers.

Professional Liability Reform: Architects and Licensed Professional Engineers: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that the filing of a suit against an architect or licensed professional engineer for professional negligence must be accompanied by affidavit of expert witness who holds Texas license in the field and actively practices the same subject area as the defendant.

Public Servants Liability Reform: SB 5 (1987).  Protects public servants from personal liability for harm resulting from the performance of their duties for the state.

Punitive Damages Reform: SB 25 (1995): Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 41.003, 41.008.  Limits the award of punitive damages to the greater of $200,000 or two times the award of economic damages plus non‑economic damages up to $750,000.  Requires a plaintiff to show by “clear and convincing” evidence that a defendant acted with malice, defined as the “conscious indifference to the rights, safety, or welfare of others.”  Requires the determination of awards for punitive damages to be made in a separate proceeding at the request of the defendant.

Punitive Damages Reform: HB 4 (2003). Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code §§ 41.003. Requires unanimous jury verdict to award punitive damages.  Specifies that jury must be so instructed.

Punitive Damages Reform: SB 5 (1987).  Requires a plaintiff to show that a defendant’s actions were fraudulent, malicious, or grossly negligent.  Limits the award of punitive damages to the greater of four times the amount of actual damages or $200,000.

School Employee Immunity: HB 4 (2003).  Broadens definition of school employees entitled to immunity for actions involving the exercise of discretion in the course and scope of employment.  Requires the exhaustion of school district administrative remedies prior to suit.  Mandates payment of attorney fees and costs by plaintiff suing person subject to immunity.  Provides that immunity does not extend to use of excessive force in discipline or negligence that results in personal injury to a student.

Seat Belts Admissibility: HB 4 (2003).  Repeals statute forbidding any evidence of lack of seat belt use in auto accident cases.

Settlement Credits Reform: SB 890 (2005). Restores dollar-for-dollar settlement credit in a multiple defendant civil action.

Sound Science Reform: HB 971 (1995).  Strengthens the qualifications for expert witness.

Trespasser Liability Reform: S.B. 1160 (2011).  S.B. 1160 codifies traditional common law rules with respect to the duty a landowner owes to a trespasser and prevent courts from adopting the new radical standard recommended in the Restatement of Torts (third).  In Texas, landowners currently do not owe a duty of care to trespassers and are not liable for their injuries.  There are certain exceptions, but these are narrow in scope and well defined.  Specifically, S.B. 1160: (1) defines a trespasser; (2) codifies the existing rule that land possessors owe no duty of care to  trespassers; (3) provides well-recognized exceptions to the general rule; (4) provides that a child who is at least 14 years of age appreciates the risk of a highly dangerous artificial condition on land; (5) makes clear that the use of justifiable force to repel an intruder, as permitted under the Penal Code, will not result in civil liability for injury to a trespasser; (6) clarifies that this new code does not affect other statutory provisions regarding the duty owed by land possessors, or otherwise create or increase the liability of any person or entity; and (7) provides that the legislation is prospective only.

Venue Reform: HB 4 (2003).  Provides that every plaintiff must establish venue independently of every other plaintiff.  Mandates dismissal or transfer of any plaintiff who cannot establish venue except upon exception showing.  Provides for interlocutory de novo appellate review of order granting or denying transfer or dismissal.

Venue Reform: SB 32 (1995).  Allows a plaintiff to bring a lawsuit where the injury occurred, where the defendant resides, or (if none of those apply) where the plaintiff resided when the injury or harm occurred.