Protecting Americans Consumers Together (PACT) is a legal reform advocacy group that is looking to make the legal system more affordable, accessible, and transparent for everyday Americans. Lauren Zelt, PACT's Executive Director, spoke to The Floridian regarding the advocacy group's mission concerning legal (especially "tort") reform.
These reforms, PACT believes, will save Americans upwards of hundreds or thousands of dollars on legal fees per citizen in some states.
According to the Legal Information Institute, a tort is "an act or omission that gives rise to injury or harm to another and amounts to a civil wrong for which courts impose liability." Tort reform aims to limit the ability to file a lawsuit or cap the amount of damages that can be received.
The State of Georgia - under the leadership of Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) and Lt. Governor Burt Jones (R-GA) - has made this issue one of the top priorities of the latest legislative session in the Peach State, perhaps following the lead of the State of Florida and Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL).
When asked what is currently the main problem with the legal system, Director Zelt shared that the system is "unaccountable and unethical at times" and that PACT is working to address these problems through the state and federal legislatures.
"PACT really has a core mission that has three specific elements to it," began Zelt. "The first is protecting consumers; we believe very strongly that Americans deserve to be able to access a fair and transparent legal system and have confidence that they won't be exploited. Unfortunately, the current system is unaccountable and unethical at times, and people who are often accessing the legal system for the first time get taken advantage of. At PACT, we're trying to stop that practice from happening."
With Florida having already addressed tort reform in the last few years and Georgia making it a priority, we asked Zelt if legal abuse is most egregious in the Southeast, or if it's nationwide.
Zelt shared that it's a state-by-state, case-by-case basis, with states like Nevada, California, and South Carolina recently throwing their hat in the legal reform ring. She also shared that federal efforts could be on the horizon as well.
"Candidly, President Trump campaigned on lowering prices for all Americans, and Americans across the country are facing a hidden tax from exorbitant legal fees that are kind of baked into the system overall," said Zelt. "So, it's possible that we will have advocacy efforts at the federal level. And honestly, if President Trump wants to save consumers money, tort reform would be a very good place to start."
Moreover, Zelt shared that the legal reform is a relevant necessity because it helps make things more affordable from car insurance to Uber rides. Additionally, without tort reform, small businesses can face higher insurance premiums and those costs get passed down to consumers. She believes Floridians are already seeing the results from legislation that went into effect in the Sunshine State last year.
According to the latest polling from PACT (conducted by Public Opinion Strategies), 82% of Georgians who have used a personal injury lawyer "believe the system needs reform." Moreover, nearly three-quarters of voters say that lawsuit abuse increases the cost of living for Georgia families. This includes 88% of Republicans, 64% of independents, and 62% of Democrats.
When asked if Republicans or Democrats have been more or less receptive to legal reform, Zelt cited this poll, saying conversations on this issue have received "bipartisan support across the board" with elected officials.
Finally, PACT's Executive Director mentioned that she hopes Georgia follows in Florida's footsteps and enacts reforms to save Peach State residents money.
"What we're hoping for at PACT is for Georgia to follow the lead that Florida set last year and pass lawsuit abuse reform into law this year so that regular Georgia families can feel the same financial relief that Florida families are feeling today," concluded Zelt.
