The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) has announced the launch of Lawsuit Abuse Awareness Week 2025. This initiative aims to highlight the costs and consequences of excessive litigation while encouraging public engagement.
According to ATRA, the campaign will take place during the first full week of October, with events scheduled from October 6–10. The focus is on framing lawsuit abuse as a widespread issue affecting households, employers, and courts. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a proclamation emphasizing fairness and accountability in the courts, reflecting increased state-level attention to tort reform themes.
Research frequently cited by reform advocates suggests that excessive tort costs have a significant macroeconomic impact. A 2024 update from the Perryman Group estimates annual losses of approximately $557.8 billion in U.S. output and more than 4.8 million jobs when dynamic effects are considered. These figures demonstrate how litigation-driven costs affect wages, investment, and prices—key points in awareness-week messaging aimed at encouraging policy changes for balance and predictability in civil justice.
Complementary national estimates from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform indicate that the tort system’s costs reached over $529 billion in 2022, accounting for about 2.1% of GDP and more than $4,200 per household. With costs growing faster than inflation at an average rate of 7.1% annually from 2016–2022, projections suggest U.S. tort costs could approach $1 trillion by 2030.
Founded in 1986 and based in Washington, D.C., ATRA is a nonprofit organization advocating changes to the civil justice system through public education and legislative reforms. It coordinates coalitions across more than 40 states to improve fairness, predictability, and efficiency in litigation.
