WASHINGTON, D.C. – Lisa A. Rickard, president of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), made the following statement today applauding the Indiana legislature for passing a bill to rein in lawsuit lending abuses (HB 1127), and urging Governor Mike Pence to sign it into law. Lawsuit lending is a financial practice that provides “up-front” cash to individual plaintiffs to cover immediate living or medical expenses during litigation.
“We applaud the state legislature for passing a strong bipartisan bill requiring lawsuit lenders to play by the same rules as others who provide loans in Indiana. Lawsuit lending shortchanges injured consumers since these loans are typically attached to sky-high interest rates – as much as 200 percent – that leave borrowers with little to no recovery from their lawsuit once the loan is repaid. The practice also increases litigation costs and crowds court dockets.
“Indiana can join Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee to become the fourth state to place commonsense legislative safeguards around such loans. Other states ought to follow their lead.
“We especially commend Representative Matthew Lehman for his tireless work in championing this bill, and urge Governor Pence to swiftly sign it into law.”
ILR seeks to promote civil justice reform through legislative, political, judicial, and educational activities at the global, national, state, and local levels.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
