Sebok on Obama’s Effect on Tort Law

In his latest Findlaw column, Tony Sebok examines President-elect Obama’s impact on tort law and the civil litigation system generally.   Sebok predicts “very few changes” and “few rollbacks” of tort reforms accomplished during the Bush Administration.  In support of this conclusion, Sebok notes that Obama voted in favor of caps on non-economic damages in med mal cases when he was in the Illinois legislature, and also points to Obama’s support of an ADR method for med mal claims that he tried to enact in 2006.  In short, Sebok believes that “President Obama would sign a federal ‘anti’-preemption bill or a federal ban on the waiver of a consumer’s right to participate in class actions” if presented to him by Congress, but that Obama will not “take the lead on these issues.”

– SBS