Florida Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (FL CALA) recently honored Senator Jim Boyd as Legislator of the Year in the state Senate. This recognition comes after his tireless work in civil justice reform, which has significantly impacted Florida’s legal landscape.

Career Work in Civil Justice

Senator Boyd’s career has been marked by his dedication to protecting consumers from a predatory legal machine. His legislative record shows a relentless pursuit of balance in the civil justice system, which has led to substantial reforms.

One of the key reforms was the passage of SB 76 in 2021, which addressed the root causes of the property insurance collapse. The law reined in predatory roofing solicitations, limited contingency fee multipliers, and cut the window to file property claims. This was the first serious attempt to slow the litigation driving up rates.

Continued Efforts

In December 2022, Senator Boyd sponsored SB 2A during a special session, eliminating the one-way attorney fee provision and banning the assignment of benefits on new policies. These two features had fueled Florida’s litigation crisis for a generation. The following year, as chairman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, Boyd helped steer HB 837, a broad civil justice overhaul.

This overhaul shortened the statute of limitations for negligence claims from four years to two and moved Florida to a modified comparative fault standard, barring plaintiffs who are more than 50 percent at fault from collecting damages. These efforts demonstrate Senator Boyd’s commitment to bringing fairness and transparency to Florida’s civil justice system.

With Senator Boyd stepping into his role as Senate President, Florida is poised to tackle the next frontier in civil justice reform: Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF). This practice allows foreign hedge funds, private equity firms, and anonymous investors to bankroll private lawsuits in exchange for a share of the payout, turning the courtroom into an investment vehicle.

Original reporting: Tampa Free Press — read the source article.