CG in the newsRescue Recess
Letter to the Editor, New York Times, December 21, 2007
Common Good President Janet Corcoran responds to an article in the New York Times on the growing trend to ban recess, "School Recess Gets Gentler, and the Adults Are Dismayed."
Will the Net Prevent the Collapse of the Common Good?
Digital Age, December 2007
Digital Age asks Philip K. Howard how the Internet has helped spread Common Good's message. Howard highlights the work Common Good is doing in health care, education, and civil justice.
Man Sues McDonald's for $10 Million
Interview with ABC Radio, August 12, 2007
ABC asked Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard to comment on another frivolous lawsuit, in which a man is suing McDonald's for $10 million.
No Time for Games? The Power of Play
Marianne Armshaw, Miami Herald, July 29, 2007
The Miami Herald laments the disappearance of children's free play, particularly recess, in America.
The $67 Million Pants
Interviews with ABC News Nightline and Radio Stations Across the Country, May 2, 2007
Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard appeared on ABC News' Nightline to discuss a $67 million lawsuit over a pair of missing pants.
Caught in the (Legal) Crossfire
Wall Street Journal, April 20, 2007
Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard is quoted in a Wall Street Journal editorial on the liability issues surrounding administrator authority and student mental health issues at play in the Virginia Tech massacre.
A Classroom of Monkey Bars and Slides
Jane Brody, New York Times, April 3, 2007
Health Columnist Jane Brody's Common Good-inspired article in the New York Times quotes Franklin Stone, former Executive Director of CG, on the effects that litigation is having on children's access to free play.
Why Tort Lawyers Usually Win Without Going to Trial
Micah Morrison, Washington Examiner, March 30, 2007
A Washington Examiner article examining the economic impact of excessive litigation quotes Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard on the abundance of securities lawsuits in this country.
When Firms Turn to Lawyers
Alan Murray, Wall Street Journal, January 10, 2007
A business columnist in the Wall Street Journal writes that more companies are turning to lawyers today. Philip K. Howard expresses concern for this post-Enron era trend: "We're more concerned with legal compliance than with getting the job done. If you have an economy where people circle the wagons and try and prevent anything bad from happening, the economy will suffer."
Common Good President Janet Corcoran Speaks on Radio Station KFAB in Omaha
January 8, 2007
After Omaha banned sledding on two lakes to save the city from potential lawsuits, a local radio station invited Janet Corcoran to discuss the issues surrounding legal liability and municipalities. See coverage of the sledding ban in Omaha: Lawsuit Fears Close Two Omaha Sled Slopes.
The Real Reason We're Fat
Gina Mallet, Toronto Globe and Mail, November 4, 2006
Toronto Globe and Mail weighs in on the obesity debate, agreeing with Common Good's call for more children's recreation.
When Children Are Out of the Game
Edward Achorn, Providence Journal, October 24, 2006
An editorial in the Providence Journal highlights Philip K. Howard's groundbreaking legal reform initiatives that would enable judges to "assert the reasonable values of society" in cases that harm the common good.
Common Good Defends the Value of Play
Franklin Stone, New York Times, October 23, 2006
In a letter to The New York Times, Common Good Executive Director Franklin Stone responds to "Glorious Food? English Schoolchildren Think Not," a recent article about Britain's approach to dealing with childhood obesity.
Schools Ruling Out Fun on Playground, Critics Say
Maria Sacchetti, October 21, 2006
In the wake of the tag ban in Attleboro, MA, Globe writer Maria Sacchetti interviews Common Good Executive Director Franklin Stone on the growing trend to eliminate playgrounds and other opportunities for children's recreation.
Guarding the Gates of Justice
Philip K. Howard, The Press Enterprise, June 3, 2006
A California newspaper has reprinted an abridged version of Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard’s recent essay, “Making Civil Justice Sane,” which was originally published in the public policy magazine The City Journal.
Is Litigation Taking the 'Play' out of Kids' Playgrounds?
Susan Harding, KATU 2 - Portland, OR, May 8, 2006
In a piece for KATU 2 News in Portland, OR, reporter Susan Harding relates that, while “[m]ost adults can remember the carefree days of childhood, climbing trees and jumping from swings, often on schoolyard playgrounds,” children of today “find themselves grounded, victims of a culture of fear and injury litigation.”
Matoiesian Raises Auto Prices
Editorial, Madison County Record, April 23, 2006
Highlighting Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard’s recent City Journal essay, The Record of Madison County, IL, recently writes: “The problem here, according to Howard, lies with judges, whose serial yielding of their own authority has rendered the bench impotent."
When Fear Is Deadly
Philip K. Howard, The New York Sun, March 14, 2006
While Charles Cullen, the murderous nurse who was recently sentenced to 11 consecutive life terms, is no longer a threat to society, Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard writes in a piece for The New York Sun, “the underlying problem that allowed him to kill still is.” What is needed, he concludes, are changes in employment law that will “promote honest opinion on matters of character and competence in all areas of society.”
Common Good Honors Three Judges with Third Annual Gatekeeper Awards
January 25, 2006
Three judges have been selected as the recipients of the third annual Common Good Gatekeeper Awards. The Awards highlight the important role of judges in drawing legal boundaries of who can sue for what. They recognize judges whose decisions restore public confidence that reasonable actions will be supported by the courts. This year’s awards highlight judges who made notable decisions with regard to lawsuits challenging educators.
A Remedy Without a Wrong
Philip K. Howard, The Pocket Part, December 2005
In the December issue of The Pocket Part, a companion to The Yale Law Journal, Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard responds to the recent article by Vanderbilt Law Professor John C. P. Goldberg, “The Constitutional Status of Tort Law.”
Philip Howard Quoted in San Diego Union-Tribune Series on the State of Fear in America
"America’s Dangerous Aversion to Risk," "Compensation Culture's High Cost," "Perception Is Nine-tenths of the Law," and "Separating Good Risk and Bad Risk"
Richard Louv, The San Diego Union-Tribune, December 2005
Howard on "The Journal Editorial Report"
The Journal Editorial Report, November 25, 2005
Reception Honors Philip K. Howard and Common Good
The Urban Center
New York City, October 25, 2005
Bill Bradley, Diane Ravitch, and Arthur and Alexandra Schlesinger hosted a reception honoring Philip K. Howard and Common Good.
U.S. Senator John Cornyn Introduces Legislation to Protect Volunteers, Including those Assisting Victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
The Bill Highlights Congress's Proper Role in Setting Limits on Litigation in Specific Circumstances
Common Good Press Release, September 29, 2005
Howard on PBS
The Journal Editorial Report, August 5, 2005
Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard explains that justice cannot be the foundation of freedom unless judges decide who can sue for what.
Judging for the Common Good
"The Silicosis Sheriff"
The Wall Street Journal, July 14, 2005
Legal Limits to a Sue-for-Anything Culture
Peter G. Verniero, The Star-Ledger (NJ), June 27, 2005
Peter G. Verniero, a former justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, published an op-ed calling upon judges to act as gatekeepers and keep unreasonable cases from going to long and expensive jury trials. As doctors are quitting in droves because of the high cost of malpractice insurance and teachers are afraid to discipline an unruly student because of fear of lawsuits, Verniero recognizes the wider implications of allowing anyone to sue for anything.
$17 Million Verdict Upheld, Impacting Volunteerism
April 19, 2005
A $17 million verdict against the Archdiocese of Milwaukee could impact volunteerism across America, says Common Good chair Philip K. Howard.
Charity Case
Philip K. Howard, The Wall Street Journal, March 17, 2005
Common Good chair Philip K. Howard discusses how volunteerism has become the latest casualty of American justice.
$17 Million Verdict Has Many Concerned
Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard Quoted in Article on the Impact of Legal Fear on Religious Institutions
Derrick Nunnally, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, February 23, 2005
Howard Profiled by The Financial Times
"Trial Lawyers Are Put on Trial"
Jon Robins, The Financial Times, February 3, 2005
Getting Common Sense Back Into Law
An Interview of Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard
Rocky Mountain News, Linda Seebach, January 15, 2005
On a recent trip to Colorado, Common Good chair Philip K. Howard was interviewed by Linda Seebach of the Rocky Mountain News. Their wide-ranging discussion touched on Common Good’s underlying goal of restoring common sense to American law and on our specific proposals for fixing health care and public schools.
Wackiest Warning Label of 2004 Announced
Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, January 5, 2005
Common Good again praises Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch for its popular Wacky Warning Label Contest, which highlights how legal fear is undermining common sense.
Common Good's Second Annual Gatekeeper Awards
December 16, 2004
Common Good has announced the winners of our second annual Gatekeeper Awards. The Awards highlight the appropriate role of judges in determining who can sue for what.
Howard Speaks at White House Economic Conference
December 15, 2004
Common Good chair Philip K. Howard was invited by the President to speak at the White House Economic Conference on December 15, 2004.
It's No Fun Playing Torts
So legislators and judges must step up to the plate and decide when people can sue
Philip K. Howard, Legal Times, November 15, 2004
This op-ed by Common Good chair Philip K. Howard argues that "[T]he core question in civil justice--who can sue for what--must be decided as a matter of law by judges, not by juries on an ad hoc basis."
Common Good Praises the Incredibles
Common Good Press Release, November 9, 2004
Readers Respond to "A Culture of Lawsuits"
Sky Magazine Discussion Forum, September 29, 2004
CG Chair Discusses America's Lawsuit Culture
Glenn Mitchell Show, KERA, Dallas, TX, September 27, 2004
Howard discussed a recent feature story in Sky Magazine entitled, "A Culture of Lawsuits: And What Common Good Wants to Do About It."
A Culture of Lawsuits: And What Common Good Wants to Do About It
Timothy Harper, Sky, September 1, 2004
An in-depth article in the September 2004 edition of Sky (the award-winning magazine of Delta Airlines) looks at the life and motivation of CG Chair Philip K. Howard, and at Common Good's mission of restoring common sense to American law.
The Reformation
Steve Kelman, GovExec.com, August 23, 2004
CG Advisory Board Member Steve Kelman discusses the importance of 'boundary systems' to the successful operation of institutions.
The Enemy R Us
Paul Greenberg, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, August 18, 2004
As Pulitzer Prize winning editorialist Paul Greenberg watched CG Chair Philip K. Howard debate prominent trial lawyer Chip Welch, he came to realize that the enemy in today's litigious society is us, "our very human propensity to get whatever we can." In an Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editorial, Greenberg endorses Common Good's vision of restoring common sense to American society and law.
CG Chair Debates Prominent Arkansas Trial Lawyer
August 2004
CG Chair Philip K. Howard's debate with prominent Arkansas trial lawyer Morgan "Chip" Welch, received extensive coverage.
Drawing the Line
June 22, 2004
In testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, CG Chair Philip K. Howard called for a "basic shift in approach to restore predictability to our legal system" and said Congress should make clear to judges that it is their responsibility to "draw the boundaries of reasonable dispute."
Howard: Legal System Should Serve the Common Good
from "Lawyers, Malpractice and Money"
Larry Rulison, Philadelphia Business Journal, June 11, 2004
Former CG Director of Policy Nancy Udell Discusses Gatekeeper Awards
Norm Jones, May 20, 2004
Every Move You Make
Philip K. Howard, The Washington Post, April 4, 2004
CG Chair Philip K. Howard reviews "The Naked Crowd: Reclaiming Security and Freedom in an Anxious Age."
Sue Everybody! It's Everybody Else's Fault!
Steve Forbes, Forbes Magazine, March 29, 2004
Howard Cited by New Jersey Supreme Court
Judgment helps restore common sense to American law
March 29, 2004
CG Chair Philip K. Howard on Catherine Crier Live
Court TV, March 19, 2004
Asleep on the Bench
Granting legal protections to fast food vendors a mere sideshow
Las Vegas Review-Journal, March 12, 2004
Common Good's First Annual Gatekeeper Awards
March 10, 2004
The awards highlight the often-overlooked role of judges in determining who can sue for what.
DANGER!
Philip K. Howard, McKinsey Forum on Risk, Control and Performance, February 2004
In an irrational effort to avoid all risk, American society has created new challenges for itself with serious corrosive effects.
Who's Judging For The Common Good?
CG Announces it's Top 5 Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2003
January 29, 2004
A critical part of the role of judges is deciding who can sue for what, but these days anyone can sue for just about anything. To raise awareness of this issue, Common Good is announcing our Top 5 Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2003.
Common Good Radio Tour to Discuss "Lawsuit Hell"
January 27, 2004
Common Good chair Philip K. Howard has appeared on a number of radio shows to discuss the December 8, 2003, Newsweek cover story "Lawsuit Hell: How Fear of Litigation is Paralyzing Our Professions".
The Price of Prudence
The Economist, January 24, 2004
An article on how far governments must go to protect their citizens from everyday hazards cites Philip K. Howard, CG Founder and Chair.
Stuart Taylor Jr. Responds to ATLA Criticism of "Lawsuit Hell"
Overlawyered.com, January 9, 2004
Stuart Taylor Jr., author of the Newsweek cover story "Lawsuit Hell: How Fear of Litigation is Paralyzing Our Professions," responded on Overlawyered.com to criticisms from the American Trial Lawyers Association.
Lawyers' Fees Come Under Fire
Patrick Danner, The Miami Herald, January 3, 2004
An extensive article on Common Good's petition to limit attorneys' contingency fees. The piece also ran in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Freespeech.com responds to Public Citizen critique of Newsweek
Freespeech.com, December 23, 2003
Thorough analysis offered by Freespeech.com in response to Public Citizen’s attack on Newsweek’s “Lawsuit Hell” cover story.
Letters to Newsweek
Readers Respond to "Lawsuit Hell"
Newsweek, December 22, 2003
Discussion of legal fear in America on NPR's Talk of the Nation
December 18, 2003
Underestimating The Value of Common Good's Agenda
What Newsweek's "Lawsuit Hell" Didn't Tell You
Anthony J. Sebok, Findlaw's Legal Commentary, December 15, 2003
CG Chair Philip K. Howard Responds to John Edwards
December 15, 2003
Response to Senator Edwards' piece on the benefits of lawsuits in recent Newsweek cover story.
Live Talk With Author of Newsweek Cover Story
Newsweek Online, December 11, 2003
Newsweek hosted an online discussion giving people the opportunity to pose their questions to the article's author, Stuart Taylor, Jr.
Starting the Tort Reform Dialogue
William Tucker, The New York Sun, December 10, 2003
In response to the Newsweek cover story, an analysis of the current debate on legal reform.
Responses to the recent Newsweek cover story "Lawsuit Hell."
December 9, 2003
With the release of the Newsweek cover story on lawsuits, national attention was focued on the impact of legal fear. The response to the Newsweek story has been overwhelming. Here we summarize some of the more important recent media coverage.
Lawsuit Hell: How Fear of Litigation Is Paralyzing Our Professions
Cover Story
Stuart Taylor, Jr., and Evan Thomas, Newsweek, December 8, 2003
Common Good’s campaign to focus national attention on the impact of legal fear is the centerpiece of extensive coverage in Newsweek and related coverage on NBC.
The Threat That Tort Law Poses to Freedom
The Wall Street Journal Europe, November 4, 2003
A letter to the editor in response to the Philip K. Howard's op-ed, "When Judges Won't Judge," which appeared in the October 23, 2003, edition of the Wall Street Journal.
No Longer Judging; Some Have Abdicated Gatekeepers' Role
The Daily Oklahoman, November 2, 2003
An editorial in response to the Philip K. Howard's op-ed, "When Judges Won't Judge," which appeared in the October 23, 2003, edition of the Wall Street Journal.
"When Judges Won't Judge" Sent to 4,000 Judges Across America
Philip K. Howard, Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2003
Former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell and former U.S. Senator Alan K. Simpson, both CG Advisory Board Members, sent Philip K. Howard's Wall Street Journal op-ed, "When Judges Won't Judge," to 4,000 judges across the country.
When Judges Won't Judge
Philip K. Howard, The Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2003
CG Chair Philip K. Howard argues that judges must act as gatekeepers, drawing the line on who can sue for what.
Stifling the Civil Service
Steven Kelman, July 31, 2003
An op-ed by CG Advisory Board Member Steven Kelman, who argues that "we have too much bureaucracy in government, and not enough incentives for our civil servants to be creative and innovative."
The Rule of Lawyers: How the New Litigation Elite Threatens America's Rule of Law
Los Angeles Times, June 30, 2003
CG Founder and Chair Philip K. Howard reviews Walter Olson's new book.
A Modest Proposal
Bipartisan group takes common-sense approach to lawyers' contingent fees
The Columbus Dispatch, June 27, 2003
Editorial supports Common Good's petition to limit contingency fees.
Welcome to Sue City, USA
Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Editor-in-Chief, US News & World Report, June 15, 2003
This editorial by US News & World Report Editor-in-Chief Mortimer B. Zuckerman echoes Common Good's message on America’s lawsuit culture.
Now, Trial Lawyers Could Use a Good Lawyer
Seth Stern, The Christian Science Monitor, June 10, 2003
A Proposal to Cap Lawyers' Fees
George W. C. McCarter, The Bergen County Record, June 8, 2003
Philip K. Howard on CNN In the Money
June 7, 2003
Ravitch Arrests Language Police
New York Sun, June 2, 2003
On May 28, Common Good honored advisory board member Diane Ravitch and her bestselling book, "The Language Police" at the Municipal Art Society in New York.
Philip Howard on CNN's Live from the Headlines
May 30, 2003
A discussion of CG's proposal to to limit lawyers' contingency fees in personal injury cases.
Ohio Proposal Would Reduce Amount Lawyers Get in Settlements
Liz Foreman, Associated Press, May 29, 2003
Petition Would Cap Lawyers' Fees in Some Injury Lawsuits
Lornet Turnbull, The Columbus Dispatch, May 29, 2003
In 13 States, a United Push to Limit Lawyers' Fees
Adam Liptak, The New York Times, May 26, 2003
Group Seeks a Limit to Some Lawyer Fees
The Wall Street Journal, May 8, 2003
Limits Sought on Plaintiffs' Attorney Fees
Alan Cooper, Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 7, 2003
Attorney Fees in Personal Injury Cases Targeted
Daniel Wise, New York Law Review, May 7, 2003
Common Good Files Petitions in 12 States to Increase Victims' Share of 'Early Offer' Settlements
May 6, 2003
A national coalition led by Common Good announced on May 6 that it filed legal petitions in 12 State Supreme Courts proposing to change the rules governing the contingency fees charged by lawyers in “early offer” settlements in personal injury cases.
Philip K. Howard takes questions on USAToday.com
April 30, 2003
Philip K. Howard on CNN/FN "Money & Markets"
April 8, 2003
Justices Act to Restrict Punitive Damage Awards
David G. Savage, The Los Angeles Times, April 8, 2003
Impose Legal Limits to Preserve Freedoms
Griffin Bell and Alan Simpson, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, March 5, 2003
Former U.S. Attorney General Griffin Bell and former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson, both CG Advisory Board members, argue that Congress must draw the line on who can sue for what. "What's really at stake ... is ... the health and vitality of common institutions such as schools and hospitals and, ultimately, the fabric of a free society."
A Basis for Reform
Steve Kelman, FCW.Com, January 27, 2003
CG Advisory Board Member Steve Kelman comments on the Volcker Commission report.
CG Chairman Philip K. Howard on Special Report with Brit Hume
January 6, 2003
The Death of Common Sense
Philip K. Howard, Ob. Gyn. News, January 1, 2003
"For every lawsuit, there are millions and probably billions of decisions made or not made, reasonably, every day, because of fear of the system. It has literally changed our culture."
United States Supreme Court Considers $145 Million Punitive Damages Award
CG Submits Amicus Brief to the Court
Nancy A. Udell, CG Director of Policy, December 12, 2002
One Lawyer's Case against the Law
Alan Weber, Fast Company, November 2, 2002
A profile of CG Founder and Chair Philip K. Howard.
A Drag on Our National Security
Philip K. Howard, The Washington Post, October 15, 2002
"What's ultimately needed is a new deal for public servants. The civil service system is broken. Its worst flaw -- that it suppresses the human element needed to get the job done -- is precisely what America cannot afford when ferreting out the terrorists trying to destroy the fabric of our free society."
A Tort Reply
The Washington Post, October 1, 2002
A profile of CG Founder and Chair Philip K. Howard.
Everybody Loses
Philip K. Howard, Daily News, September 29, 2002
"Open the door to litigation over fairness after a mass tragedy, and no one will ever be satisfied."
Facing the Limits of Law, and of Lawsuits
Philip K. Howard, New York Times, September 21, 2002
"An important lesson of Sept. 11 is that Americans must come together and face the future with a new awareness of our risks and responsibilities. Descending into a pit of litigation and recrimination cannot satisfy the families of victims; their loss can never be satisfied. But this litigation will harm all of society."
Common Good Files Amicus Brief in State Farm Case
August 1, 2002
There Is No Right to Sue
Philip K. Howard, The Wall Street Journal, July 31, 2002
"The point of law is not to let anyone sue for anything. Law's goal is closer to the opposite: to draw the boundaries of who can sue for what."
Just a Little Less Litigation, Please
Seth Stern, The Christian Science Monitor, July 3, 2002
Lawsuit Culture
George Will, The Washington Post, June 2, 2002
We're Reaping What We Sue
George S. McGovern and Alan K. Simpson, Wall Street Journal, April 17, 2002
Former U.S. Senators from opposite sides of the aisle, George S. McGovern and Alan K. Simpson write, "Lawsuits, a vital tool of justice, support a free society only when judges and legislatures take the responsibility of deciding who can sue for what. Otherwise, fear replaces freedom." Mr. McGovern and Mr. Simpson are both CG Advisory Board Members.
History of American Law: Since 1968
Philip. K. Howard, Oxford Companion to American Law, March 25, 2002
Common Good Chair Philip K. Howard publised a chapter in the 2002 Oxford Companion to American Law.
How More Rights Have Made Us Less Free
Stuart Taylor Jr., The National Journal, February 9, 2002
Stuart Taylor Jr. argues that due process has run amok, smothering the abilities of authorities to follow their instincts and get things done.
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