A state lawmaker wants to restore protections against "legal harassment."
State Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) says we used to have a pretty tough statute to discourage the filing of so-called "frivolous lawsuits." But, he says it was overturned by the State Supreme Court in 2005, opening the door for "mean-spirited lawsuits" that have no legal basis.
Grothman is sponsoring legislation that would make attorneys and their clients who file "nuisance lawsuits" liable for the legal costs involved in defending against those actions.
Grothman says newly re-elected Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson campaigned on a platform against that type of legal action, despite the court's earlier ruling.
Grothman says it's a harrowing experience for anyone targeted by a frivolous lawsuit.