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LINK New Laws Encouraging Private Citizens to Sue Could Result in Chaos

A new slate of laws is popping up that law enforcement agencies won't be upholding. Instead, private citizens, like your neighbor or your coworker, would be the enforcer.

A law passed in Texas last year banned all abortions during the first six weeks of pregnancy. As the means of enforcement, the bill encourages private citizens to sue abortion providers — or anyone who assists in an abortion — and get awarded at least $10,000 if they win.

In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced plans for a bill that allows people to sue makers and sellers of assault weapons or ghost gun kits, though the legislation has not yet been introduced. In Florida, a bill pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that would allow parents to sue schools that teach critical race theory is moving along in the state Senate. A separate bill that would allow parents to sue schools over discussions of LGBTQ topics has advanced in the Florida House.

And, unless the Supreme Court puts an end to the vigilantism trend, more could be on the way.

snytiger6 9 Jan 29
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4 comments

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If you can prove the 3 elements of standing to sue, you have a valid legal Claim.
— Injury in Fact. Injury in fact means that a person has suffered an actual injury.
— Causation. Causation means that the injury to the plaintiff was caused by the party that is being sued.
— Redressability.

If the courts are overloaded now, wait til SCOTUS gives standing to every vigilante

Yeah. The new laws don't meet traditional criteria for lawsuits. It has been reported that the Texas laws were inspired by the pre Civil War slave bounty system. Basically enabling any citizen to participate and providing financial incentive to do so.

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Private citizens being able to sue in the past brought about such totally desirable things such as mandating flame-retardant fabrics for pajamas, and "Tracy Thurman" domestic violence response changes, to name 2 of perhaps thousands.
However, the person being harmed had to sue! This idea that bystanders can just jump in is beyond stupid. & unsupported bty Any previous laws/suits.

I remember in the 1960's thru the early 1990's republicans complained about there beign too many lawsuits. Now they are enablign even more of them.

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Doesn’t filing a lawsuit require the plaintiff/s to have been actually harmed, not theoretically harmed?

Used to.

Not the way republicans wrote the laws. Basically they entitle anyone to sue.

@snytiger6

If you can prove the 3 elements of standing to sue, you have a valid legal Claim.

Injury in Fact. Injury in fact means that a person has suffered an actual injury. ...

Causation. Causation means that the injury to the plaintiff was caused by the party that is being sued.

Redressability.

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if all that crap passed, we all will be fucked. And not in a good way.

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