Profession
High litigation costs force civil cases to settle, study shows
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 3, 2008
The legal system is too expensive and time-consuming. Those are the main findings of a study released in September by the American College of Trial Lawyers, a trade group, and the nonpartisan Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver.
Among the 3,800 plaintiff and defense lawyers surveyed nationally, 83% said high litigation expenses in a variety of civil cases force parties to settle claims based on costs, rather than merit. Eighty-five percent said legal costs -- discovery, in particular -- were too high-priced. Sixty-eight percent of respondents said such costs deter the filing of valid claims.
The study concluded that while the legal system was not "broken," it was "in serious need of repair."
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/11/03/prbf1103.htm.
