Proposition Summary
ATTORNEYS. FEES. RIGHT TO NEGOTIATE. FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Except as allowed by laws in effect on January 1, 1995, prohibits restrictions on the right to negotiate amount of attorneys' fees, whether fixed, hourly or contingent. Prohibits attorney from charging or collecting excessive or unconscionable fees. Authorizes court to impose sanctions upon attorney who files a lawsuit or pleading which is totally and completely without merit or filed solely to harass opposing party. Prohibits sanctioned attorney from collecting fees for case. Requires State Bar to recommend appropriate discipline for attorneys with repeated sanctions. Summary of Legislative Analyst's Estimate of Net State and Local Government Fiscal Impact: Adoption of this measure would have an unknown, but probably not significant, net fiscal impact on state and local governments.
Proposition Number
207
Year
1996
Document Type
Proposition
Pass/Fail
Fail
Popular Vote Results
Y: 3206350; A: 34.2; N: 6163645; B: 65.8
Election Type
General Election
Proposition Type
Initiative
For Author
Mary E. Alexander, President, Consumer Attorneys of California
Against Author
John Sullivan, President, Association for California Tort Reform; Martyn B. Hopper, State Director, National Federation of Independent Business/California; Bill Morrow, Assemblyman, 73rd District Chairman, Assembly Judiciary Committee
Rebuttal Against Author
Mary E. Alexander, President, Consumer Attorneys of California
Recommended Citation
Attorneys. Fees. Right to Negotiate. Frivolous Lawsuits. California Proposition 207 (1996).
https://repository.uclawsf.edu/ca_ballot_props/1142