ZRX61 wrote:
CAPFlyer wrote:
This is the world we unfortunately live in -
No, this is the
Country you live in...
No, it's the world we live in. This kind of litigation exists in most of the world, I've seen similar litigation come up in Europe, Russia, the UK, Iceland, Canada, Australia, and Indonesia.
P51Mstg wrote:
Assuming it is totally dismissed and Plaintiff gets NOTHING, Plaintiff owes nothing to anyone (technically $600 to lawyer but he’s not going to ask for it). NOW in EUROPE (not USA) I understand loser pay’s winner’s attorney fees. That system has a chilling effect on cases that have merit not going to court. Cases that have merit are simply never filed because there is a chance the plaintiff may lose and have to pay the defendant’s costs (maybe $100k’s or millions). Not that way in the US, in reality our system is better. You get a fair shake at trying your case.
Mark, thanks for the full explanations. I can only go off what I've read in both industry publications and the few case records I've been able to spend the time to get. Now, specifically on your point - part of continuing Texas Tort Law reform in the last session of the State Legislature was a bill that did require plaintiff's to pay at least some of the total court and lawyer fees. This was House Bill 274 (
http://tx.opengovernment.org/sessions/82/bills/hb-274).
Here's a legal opinion on H.B. 274
http://www.wlf.org/publishing/publicati ... sp?id=2259It includes a statement that I didn't know, but explains a lot -
[quote]Texas was one of the few remaining states that did not allow motions to dismiss before evidence was presented in civil court cases. As part of H.B. 274, the state supreme court is directed to "adopt rules to provide for the dismissal of causes of action that have no basis in law or fact on motion and without evidence." Tex. H.B. 274, 82nd R.S. sec. 1.01 (2011). Upon a trial court's granting, in whole or in part, of a motion to dismiss under these rules, the court "shall award costs and reasonable and necessary attorneys' fees to the prevailing party." sec. 1.02.[quote]
So, that's why the defendants in some cases weren't dissmissed prior to the trial - the law may not have allowed it, especially in Texas. Thankfully, since this lawsuit was filed after the Sept. 1st effective date for the applicable sections of the law, if the "Radio and Tire guys" were named, they can now make a motion for dismissal as defendants.