Our Challenge

As American consumers and citizens, we are challenged as never before in history by a corporate-led attack against independent judges and on our precious right to trial by jury in civil cases. With money and politics already dominating the executive and legislative branches of government, America's civil justice system is one of the only places left in America where individual citizens can successfully challenge powerful industries and institutions and hold them accountable. Insurance companies, manufacturers of dangerous products and chemicals, the tobacco industry and other major corporate interests are engaged in a nationwide campaign to weaken our civil justice system - to make it easier for them to escape responsibility for the harm they cause. This so-called "tort reform" movement has sunk multi-millions of dollars into hundreds of industry-sponsored conservative groups. These "think-tanks," public relations, polling and lobbying firms are setting legislative agendas, devising strategies and purchasing expensive media to undermine consumer rights. Their goals are to take power away from independent judges and juries and to enact laws that let corporations off the hook for their misconduct.