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Reports & Studies
CALA Studies
August 2014
This report analyzes the cost of litigation to 12 California school districts over a period of three fiscal years from 2010 to 2013, and found that the districts combined spent $125.6 million over the three years.
April 2013
This report analyzes the cost of litigation to 17 local governments in California, and finds that just some of California’s largest cities and counties spent more than $1 Billion on litigation from 2008-2012.
November 2012
This report summarizes a series of roundtable discussions between minority business owners, local community leaders and elected officials convened by CALA about how minority communities are especially affected by lawsuit abuse.
November 2011
This report summarizes a series of roundtable discussions between elected officials, community leaders and business owners convened by CALA about the negative effect of lawsuit abuse on job growth in California's economy.
July 2011
This survey finds broad consensus among Californians that lawsuit abuse hurts the economy and costs jobs.
June 2011
The report analyzes how abusive litigation is being used to shut down, delay, or otherwise obstruct business development in the economically-depressed Central Valley.
March 2011
The report explores how California's policies create obstacles for employers and small business owners by encouraging more lawsuits.
August 2010
The report examines the cost of litigation to 12 of California's school districts over three fiscal years. At a time when funding for education is being cut across the state, every available dollar could be better spent in the classroom rather than the courtroom.Lessons in Lawsuits: The Impact of Litigation on California’s Schools
November 2009
Litigation costs will always be present in the public sector, as there will always be lawsuits with merit that deserve their day in court. However, government entities are too often seen as deep pockets, even in today’s tough times, and abusive lawsuits are filed in an attempt for some plaintiffs to get rich quick. With many of these lawsuits being filed on a contingency fee basis, plaintiffs’ attorneys have plenty of motives to file lawsuits in the hopes of a quick settlement or a large verdict.
October 2008
More than 800 members of the National Federation of Independent Business/California (NFIB) responded to the survey and clearly believe that lawsuit abuse is harmful to their business and raises prices across the state.
August 2008
It is in the context of the state’s budgetary woes that a critical eye should be placed on a great expense to California’s prisons: the legal fees it incurs as a result of lawsuits filed by prisoners. These lawsuits are a burden to our prisons and to our courts.
May 2008
In honor of the 10th anniversary of Juror Appreciation Week (JAW), California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) today released a poll of California citizens’ attitudes toward jury service.
January 2008
This report explores the financial burden of lawsuit abuse on California’s school districts. In addition to taxpayers whose money is wasted on these lawsuits, many victims of lawsuit abuse are not even old enough to cross the street unattended.
July 2007
When a city or county is party to a lawsuit, taxpayers in those jurisdictions get hit again. Cities and counties are forced to use their tax dollars to pay for legal counsel, settlements and verdicts in addition to the administrative costs taxpayers already pay. This is money that otherwise would have been spent on providing services to its citizens.
About CALA
Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is a nonpartisan grassroots movement of concerned citizens and businesses who are fighting against lawsuit abuse in California. CALA serves as a watchdog to challenge the abuse of our civil justice system, and engages the public and the media to deliver the message that lawsuit abuse is alive and well in California — and that all Californians are paying the price.