BUSH`S CRACKDOWN ON CLASS-ACTION LAWSUITS

The legislation the President signed on Friday will make it harder to try class-action lawsuits in state courts. President Bush says it will protect people from frivilous lawsuits. WDHN spoke with a local attorney, Mark Andrews with Morris, Clay, Andrews, Talmadge, and Jones, and he stated he didn`t have a problem with the premise of this new law. He indicated he did not like frivolous lawsuits, however he said the drawback to the new law will be it`s limitations to seek damages against a large corporation. Andrews also said that it would be difficult to find enough people to file suit in the new law, but there is a clear winner thanks to this new law. The law will limit lawyer`s fees in settlements where plaintiffs get discount coupons instead of financial settlements, but Attorney Andrews said even this language in the new act isn`t as great as it appears, saying tht it may be hard to collect money after the new law. Consumer groups and trial lawyers fought against the Bill, but lost their struggle when Republicans gained seats in last fall`s election.