Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Civil Litigation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chairman proposes expedited small-claims tort process; author voluntarily defers bill
Summary
Chairman Robbie Carter introduced HB597 to speed resolution of small property and bodily-injury cases, proposing a magistrate-style process and limits on appeals; after stakeholder opposition the author voluntarily deferred the measure for further work.
Chairman Robbie Carter presented House Bill 597 on May 13, a proposal aiming to speed disposition of lower-value tort claims by creating a streamlined magistrate-style process and tighter appeal rules.
Carter told the committee the bill targets delays in small-value claims: "The biggest complaint that I receive at my law office and the biggest complaint I've had over the last 43 years ... is how long it takes to get your claim resolved in the court system." The draft would give claimants a choice to use an expedited procedure for cases up to $50,000, limit appeals to legal errors, set faster trial dates and allow collection mechanisms modeled in part on workers' compensation procedures.
Carter said the process would impose periodic payments from institutional trust accounts for filing fees in certain cases, shorten appellate timelines and create a specialized appeals panel to decide cases more quickly. He described the proposal as a response to constituent frustration with long delays and courthouse-driven cost increases that ultimately affect insurance premiums.
Several business and trade groups filed opposition cards for the hearing (Louisiana Association of Property and Casualty Lawyers, Louisiana Farm Bureau, NFIB, Louisiana Retailers Association and others), and the chairman said he expected resistance. He moved to voluntarily defer HB597 to allow more time for stakeholder negotiation; the committee accepted the voluntary deferral with no objection.
Chairman Carter said he will continue developing the proposal and suggested a future bill could be refiled after further stakeholder engagement. The committee took no formal vote on the bill's merits before deferral.
