GLR Files Amicus Brief with GA Supreme Court
For the past several years, Georgia has been ranked in the Top Ten worst civil justice systems in the country by the American Tort Reform Foundation. Massive jury verdicts, unpredictable and inconsistent court decisions, and a resistance to common sense tort and civil procedure reform are among the reasons for the deterioration in our civil justice system.
On June 21, 2021, Georgians for Lawsuit Reform (GLR) filed an amicus brief in the matter, General Motors LLC v. Robert Randall Buchanan, et al., with the Georgia Supreme Court. The lower courts have ruled that the Chief Executive Officer of General Motors can be deposed in a product liability case even though she had no first-hand or unique knowledge about the fact of the case. This goes against the “Apex Doctrine”—a doctrine that protects high-ranking officers from being deposed unless it is relevant to the case and less intrusive measures of discovery have been exhausted.
If this decision holds, it could have severe ramifications for businesses of all sizes across Georgia. Executive officers would be in danger of being continuously deposed in matters in which they have little to no personal knowledge. The cost of litigation will continue to increase and high-ranking company officers will be tied up in depositions for even the most routine of cases. An efficient civil justice system would require a more orderly and logical method of obtaining information relevant to the case.
We are pleased to provide the Georgia Supreme Court with the business perspective on important legal issues through our submitted amicus briefs. GLR has successfully made the courts aware of the business impact of court decisions and will continue to do so. A fair, balanced, and efficient legal system is imperative to keeping Georgia economically competitive. If you have any questions regarding this submission, GLR’s amicus policy, or how to join our advocacy efforts, please contact GLR’s Executive Director, Meagan Hanson, Esq. at [email protected].
