Dear Concerned Orange County Citizen:

There is one good reason for you to make a small contribution to Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse right now.

Every dollar counts in helping us get the message out to Orange County constituents that frivolous lawsuits threaten the economic viability of our community, jeopardize our access to health care, cost us jobs and create higher property taxes and higher costs for goods and services every time you and I buy something at the store.

Lawsuit Abuse costs:
Wasted taxpayer dollars. California school districts spend $80 million annually to defend, insure, and pay for tort and other liability claims;
(Cal-Tax Digest, "Local Government Liability: A Major Cost and Exposure", February 1999)

Consumers. The costs of lawsuits passed on to consumers add up to nearly $1,800 per year for every Californian today. (American Tort Reform Association)

Higher prices. The hidden lawsuit tax causes businesses to raise their prices to cover their costs or hiring lawyers, fighting lawsuits and paying out large awards. For example, if you buy a $100 stepladder, the liability insurance represents about $20 of the cost.
(Charleston Daily Mail, "The Jackpot Mentality is Hurting the Nation," May 17, 1995)

Access to health care.  For every one percent increase in health care costs due to
unnecessary lawsuits, about 40,000 Californians will lose access to health care.
(California Chamber of Commerce)

Who Supports Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse?

• More than 4,700 individual working people who live and work in Orange County and
• The Orange County Building Industry Association
• The Orange County Medical Association
• The Orange County Automobile Dealers Association
• The Newport Harbor Chamber of Commerce
• The Healthcare Association of Southern California
• The Auto Club of Southern California
• Rick Reiff, Editor, Orange County Business Journal, sympathizes with businesses that are impacted by lawsuits and is sympathectic to our cause.

Please make your check made payable to Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, a non-profit 501 (c) 6 organization, and mail to P.O. Box 26, Corona Del Mar, California 92625. The federal tax identification number is 33-0671423

Contributions to Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse are not deductible as charitable contributions,
but may be deductible as a business expense under provisions set by the Internal Revenue Code.
Please ask your tax preparer for specific information.

Please email our web contact at occala99@aol.com with any questions.

Background
Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) was formed in the fall of 1993 as a California corporation to combat the current bureaucracy that perpetuates the state's costly avalanche of lawsuits. This grassroots organization was formed in response to a civil justice system that encourages both people to sue and lawyers to take advantage of victims. Our leadership is a group of small business and professional people from the greater Orange County area who are all united in our passion for meaningful reform of an out-of-control civil litigation system. We believe that tort reform has not been adequately addressed by our lawmakers because of the influence of special interest groups on the legislative process. We feel the public must become engaged in the debate over legal reform before California can solve it's lawsuit crisis.

Mission Statement
CALA's mission is to educate the public about the impact of lawsuit abuse on consumers and California's economy, thereby creating a climate for change.

Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is a nonprofit corporation. Contributions or gifts to CALA are not deductible as charitable contributions. However, they may be deductible as a business expense as indicated under provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Checks should be made payable to Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA). You may also donate with your credit card via PayPal. Thank you.

© 1993-2007 Orange County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse