2005 CALA Luncheon features Award-Winning, Best-Selling Author and Local Celebrities

Plus:  How information from local supporters started the State’s first known criminal investigation into the filing of ADA/access lawsuits

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San Diego, California -  400 legal reform supporters applauded best-selling author Joseph Wambaugh for his keynote address at the annual luncheon held today by San Diego County Citizen’s Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA). 

Wambaugh, a 10-year veteran of the LAPD, told the packed audience, “Lawsuit abuse has expanded to crisis proportions.  Trial lawyers are filing frivolous lawsuits in the hopes of striking it rich.  No one is safe from the fear of being sued if a plaintiff lawyer sees an opportunity to make money.”

As a victim of lawsuit abuse himself, Wambaugh said, “Jackpot Justice protects no one. Trial lawyers may try to tell you that they are white knights who help consumers get justice.  But in reality, most of them are hunting for ways to use lawsuits to coerce unfair settlements from people to gain fees that will make themselves rich.  If a little league coach does not put a poor player in the line-up, trial lawyers will sue.  If a teacher looks cross-eyed at a student, trial lawyers will sue.”

Local celebrities, attorneys, legislators and business people from around the county joined Wambaugh and CALA President, Andy Kotner, to discuss the need for legal reform in California. The luncheon was one of two major annual events sponsored by San Diego CALA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to grassroots activism and educating the public on behalf of victims of lawsuit abuse.   

“We need citizens to understand that lawsuit abuse costs everyone money,” said Kotner, “Frivolous lawsuits against our towns and cities drive up the cost of our taxes and causes local government to close swimming pools and parks because of the high cost of liability insurance.  Every time a plaintiff lawyer wins a frivolous case against a business, the prices we pay as consumers go up.”

Several local celebrities attended the luncheon, including Parisima Roshanzamir, Miss City of San Diego 2005. Roshanzamir spoke about the importance of legal reform.  Three CALA cash scholarships were awarded to local students for their essays on the topic “Supersize It: Suing the fast food industry – Where does personal responsibility end and a lawsuit begin?”  The students are: 1st Place, and winner of  $1,000,

Kelly Loi, Kearny School of International Business; 2^nd Place, and winner of $500, Lauren Murphy, Fallbrook Union High School; and 3^rd Place, and winner of $250 Bethany Graham, Kearny School of International Business.

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The San Diego County Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse (CALA) is a nonprofit, grassroots public education organization founded in 1994. The mission of this organization is to educate consumers on the human and financial cost of lawsuit abuse; to serve as a watchdog over our legal system and those who would seek to abuse it for undeserved gain and to support and encourage citizens to serve on juries.