[Sacramento] – Central California Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse released the following statement today in response to the verdict in favor of the Chungs, the drycleaners sued for $54 million over a pair of lost pants:

“District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff is to be commended on her ruling to demand Roy Pearson pay for the court costs incurred in addition to denying him any compensation for his frivolous lawsuit. We hope that a steep sanction will follow and that this serves as the Chungs’ first step on the road to recovering all of their legal fees and getting their lives back in order.

“Lawsuit abuse is a drain on our nation’s economy. While this case received an unusual amount of media attention, lawsuit abuse happens every day. In courts throughout the country, frivolous lawsuits motivated by greed target thousands of small businesses. Often times, owners - like the Chungs - attempt to settle their cases for fear of the uncertainty of a trial. Yet, as this case proves, many filers of these lawsuits are not seeking justice or fair compensation, but a large payout. As a result, businesses are forced to close, costing jobs and decreasing the tax base. Through this entire process, it is taxpayers who are footing the bill and true victims whose day in court is delayed.

“In her courtroom today, Judge Bartnoff stood up for victims of lawsuit abuse everywhere. Her message is clear: frivolous lawsuits have no place in our society.”