By James Bopp, Jr., General Counsel for the National Right to Life Committee
Texans for Lawsuit Reform’s mission statement says it was founded to “fight back against job-killing, abusive lawsuits” and “shut down new abuses of the legal system.” But the so-called tort reform group makes an exception when it comes to one kind of tort: the kind that lets the powerful silence their critics through lawfare.
TLR is leading the charge at the Texas Legislature to weaken the Texas Citizens Participation Act, a 13-year-old law designed to stop frivolous SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation). SLAPPs are often baseless defamation suits filed to punish individuals or organizations for speaking out on matters of public concern. The TCPA provides a critical safeguard by allowing defendants to seek early dismissal of these lawsuits and to appeal…
