Jon Opelt
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Who’s a ‘bad actor’ and who isn’t?
The Pandemic Liability Protection Act provides COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers, businesses, non-profits, religious institutions, and schools that made good-faith efforts to follow safety protocols during the course of the public health emergency declared by Gov. Greg Abbott. -
Gov. Abbott signs Pandemic Liability Protection Act, bill takes effect immediately
AUSTIN – On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Pandemic Liability Protection Act into law. The Act went into effect immediately because Senate Bill 6 was passed by both chambers by supermajorities. -
‘Open up! It’s the people!’
Usually, it’s members of law enforcement who shout “Open up!” (and “It’s the police!”) when they want to make an arrest. But these are unusual times. -
Texas Legislature passes pandemic liability protections bill
AUSTIN – The Pandemic Liability Protection Act has passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature by supermajorities. -
Texas slow to vaccinate health care workers against COVID-19 lawsuits
AUSTIN – Even though more than a dozen states have already taken measures to protect health care workers from possible COVID-19 litigation, Texas has yet to do so. -
Keep your hands off the cap, Gene Wu
Two weeks ago, we opined, only half-jokingly, that one of the biggest differences between conservatives and liberals – and between Republicans and Democrats – is that the former look for things that are broken, so they can fix them, and the latter do the opposite. -
Bill seeking to inflate Texas’ med-mal cap first of its kind
AUSTIN – Since the courts were apparently no help, those wishing to inflate Texas’ medical malpractice cap on non-economic damages are now turning to the state legislature. -
Limited Liability, Unlimited Growth
How tort reform helped ignite the Texas boom. -
Legal reform update: Better healthcare, less litigation
Obama Care was touted as a way to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, but results have been mostly the opposite. -
Study ranks Texas 6th best state for docs, expert points to tort reform
A recent study found Texas is one of the best states for physicians to practice medicine, a high ranking made possible in part due to the passage of tort reform measures in 2003, says one expert. -
New study criticizes tort reform in Texas, incites strong rebuke
By DAVID YATES The “gatekeepers” to civil justice system, plaintiff attorneys, are losing incentive to practice because of tort reform, according to a new study – a report furnished by, in the opinion of one man, two “left wing academics who never met a lawsuit they didn’t like.” On June 2 the American Bar Foundation sent out a press release promoting a new book: Tort Reform, Plaintiffs’ Lawyers, and Access to Justice, essentially a study examining more than 20 years of “tort reform activity” i -
New study criticizes tort reform in Texas, incites strong rebuke
The “gatekeepers” to civil justice system, plaintiff attorneys, are losing incentive to practice because of tort reform, according to a new study – a report furnished by, in the opinion of one man, two “left wing academics who never met a lawsuit they didn’t like.” -
Civil filings plummet in Jefferson County, tort reform and decline in toxic torts credited with fall
All across the vast state of Texas, civil filings continue to fade a little more each year in smaller counties, even in Jefferson County, a so called “judicial hellhole” in some circles. -
Increase in Texas physicians due to more than population growth
An opinion piece issued by Alex Winslow of Texas Watch entitled "Spin-doctoring by doctors" (Dec. 1) is making its way around the state. The op/ed makes the absurd and easily refutable claim that "growth in (the number of Texas) physicians tracks population increases." -
Health professionals refute report that Texas tort reform is a failure
Opelt In spite of a recent report calling the Texas reform of medical liability litigation a "failed experiment," a group of medical professionals in the state still maintains the reforms are a success. -
Trial lawyer legislators behind 'anti-tort reform' bills; CALA fears more to come
Hinojosa (D-McAllen) Although a pair of "anti-tort reform" bills recently died in a state House committee, legal watchdog groups from across the Lone Star State are prepared to "stand strong" and fight future bills engineered to unravel tort reform laws. -
Upsurge in Jefferson County defense verdicts accompanied by decrease in personal injury filings
Shuffield The "judicial hellhole" label tort reform supporters have slapped Jefferson County with may be starting to peel, as a recent upsurge in defense verdicts and decrease in personal injury filings has tipped the scales in Lady Justice's hand.