Robert Wood, spokesman for Texans Against Lawsuit Abuse
AUSTIN — In our state, primary elections decide who appears on the November ballot for Congress, the Legislature, the judiciary and statewide offices.
Unfortunately, turnout in runoff elections, like the one coming up on May 26, is typically quite small, although there is greater interest this time around, so that could change.
One thing, however, doesn’t change: understanding where candidates stand on key issues and turning out to vote in primary runoff elections strengthens our democracy.
Every day, candidates talk about the strength of Texas’ economy and the importance of continued job growth. But are your candidates willing to rein in lawsuit abuse and keep our state competitive by fighting against attempts by some personal injury lawyers to undo the lawsuit reforms crucial to Texas’ economic success?
Years ago, Texas paved the way for the lawsuit reform movement that is taking root nationwide. The reforms championed by Texas lawmakers helped bring balance and fairness to Texas’ courts and allowed small businesses to flourish.
However, this hard-fought progress is now at risk of being undone as runaway court verdicts plague the state. A new wave of nuclear verdicts – court awards exceeding $10 million often driven by predatory and abusive legal practices – have earned Texas a spot on the 2025-2026 Judicial Hellholes Watch List, a clear signal that Texas’ thriving economy and jobs-friendly reputation are under attack.
It’s imperative that state lawmakers enact much needed reforms during the next legislative session in 2027 to stop these abuses. Otherwise, our state’s business climate could suffer, and Texans will continue to face higher costs for goods and services.
Already, Texans pay an average of $1,943 more for everyday consumer goods and services every year because of excessive litigation, according to a new economic impact study released by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. The annual average lawsuit tax nationally is $1,771 per person, placing Texas higher than the national average. But, what this ultimately means is that consumers are paying more for groceries to housing to insurance because of lawsuits and nuclear verdicts.
Clearly, we can’t let these abuses in our legal system go unchallenged.
Knowing where candidates stand on issues like lawsuit abuse is critical during any election, and so is understanding whether a judicial candidate is qualified for the bench. After all, good judges matter to all of us.
Judges make decisions that affect all aspects of our lives including the economy, our schools, community safety, and health care. A judge can also choose to uphold or overturn laws that were carefully crafted and passed by the Legislature.
When even one judge seeks to create new laws through their own legal opinions — instead of applying the law as written — the law becomes unpredictable and can ultimately threaten positive legislative advances that benefit the state’s economy and Texans’ pocketbooks.
That’s why it is so important for all of us to ask some important questions of local and state judicial candidates. What makes them qualified? What is their professional legal background? What is their judicial philosophy?
With this kind of knowledge in hand, we know that we will be making informed decisions, be it during the May 26 runoff elections or the November general election, to ensure a better Texas for everyone.
Wood is spokesman for Texans Against Lawsuit Abuse (TALA). More about TALA at www.tala.com.
