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Sponsor Statement for HB 384
Disclose Resolution of Civil Litigation

An Act relating to submission of civil litigation information; and amending Rules 41(a) and 58, Alaska Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 511(c) and (e), Alaska Rules of Appellate Procedure, and Rule 503(d), Alaska Rules of Evidence.

In 1997, responding to public interest in tort reform and work of the Governor's Advisory Task Force on Civil Justice, the legislature passed tort reform legislation. One part of the legislation responded to the Task Force's recommendation that the Alaska Judicial Council (AJC) report on closed civil cases, using data from forms completed by attorneys and parties in the cases. See Alaska Civil Cases, June 1999 - December 2000, Alaska Judicial Council, May 2001, Page 1.

In response to the legislation, AJC created a form called "Information About the Resolution of Civil Cases." Every attorney and/or party must fill out this form upon final disposition of a case. The Alaska Judicial Council is then charged with compiling the information from these forms, and issuing a report.

The latest report from the Alaska Judicial Council, issued May 2001, reported a dismal number of attorneys were actually filling out the forms (forms were filed for fewer than half of the required cases). In an attempt to boost reporting, and after working with members of the Alaska Bar Association, the Alaska Judicial Council, and the Court system, HB 384 has been introduced. HB 384 simplifies the data collection form by clarifying what information needs to be reported, when the information needs to be reported, and what cases are no longer required to report. In addition, the bill also amends certain court rules in order to clarify an attorney's duties regarding reporting this information.

The committee urges your support of this bill.

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