In Memoriam Fred J. Hiestand
Civil Justice Association of California Announces 2024 “Civil Justice Gavel” Recipients
Senator Anna Caballero and Senator Roger Niello Recognized as Leaders in Legal Reform
Media Contact:
Taylor Gonsalves
press@cjac.org
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (February 12, 2024) — The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) is pleased to announce that Senator Roger Niello (R-6) and Senator Anna Caballero (D-14) are this year’s Civil Justice Gavel recipients.
Each year, CJAC awards the Civil Justice Gavel to one Democrat and one Republican legislator who display exceptional leadership in promoting a fair, balanced civil justice system in California.
“We are delighted to recognize the bipartisan leadership of Senator Anna Caballero and Senator Roger Niello in improving California’s legal climate,” said Kyla Christoffersen Powell, president and CEO of CJAC. “Their outstanding efforts in the State Legislature have helped reduce lawsuit abuses against businesses statewide.”
When considering recipients, CJAC evaluates legislators’ votes on bills that impact California’s legal climate and other efforts to promote a balanced civil justice system in California communities. Senator Niello and Senator Caballero have a strong track record in these areas.
“I am proud to be acknowledged as a leader in the Legislature supporting reasonable civil justice policies,” said Senator Caballero. “As a champion for working families and small businesses, I understand how excessive litigation is costly and hinders equal access to our courts and justice for all Californians.”
“It is an honor to receive recognition for my policy efforts in fighting excessive litigation that is all too prevalent in communities across our state,” said Senator Niello. “I look forward to continued collaboration with CJAC to prevent abuses of our legal system, which harm consumers and businesses, clogging our courts.”
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About CJAC
The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC), a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy organization, has been a trusted source of expertise on legal reform for almost half a century. CJAC confronts legislation, laws and regulations that create unfair litigation burdens on California businesses, employees and communities.
Civil Justice Association of California Announces Legislative Civil Justice Allies
Media Contact:
Taylor Gonsalves
press@cjac.org
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 30, 2024) – The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) has released its new Civil Justice Allies list based on the 2023 legislative year, recognizing those California legislators who promoted a fair, balanced civil justice system with their policy decisions.
“The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC) advocates for a level-playing field in civil justice system, so the process is fair for all Californians and there is less abusive litigation in our courts,” said Kyla Christoffersen Powell, president and CEO of CJAC. “Each year, we remain committed to keeping the business community and public informed about their legislators’ support for balance in our courts while creating accountability for those legislators who made policy decisions with negative impacts.”
In determining Civil Justice Allies, CJAC analyzes legislators’ votes and related efforts on CJAC priority bills that promote or impede balanced civil liability policies, including bills that create unwarranted liability expansions, frivolous litigation, or private rights of action (PRAs). Generally, Civil Justice Allies are those legislators who ranked in the top half of the Legislature for civil-justice friendly votes or actively advanced civil justice policies.
For 2023, CJAC looked at votes on 11 key bills that unreasonably expanded liability for California employers, from undermining arbitration to imposing unworkable new workplace mandates. Nine of the 11 bills created or expanded PRAs. CJAC also considered five bills that promoted positive civil liability reforms, including third party litigation funding transparency as well as an opportunity for small businesses to fix alleged violations of disability access laws before being sued.
Please visit cjac.org/civil-justice-allies to view the 2023 Civil Justice Allies.
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About CJAC
The Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC), a nonpartisan nonprofit advocacy organization, has been a trusted source of expertise on legal reform for almost half a century. CJAC confronts legislation, laws and regulations that create unfair litigation burdens on California businesses, employees and communities.
Civil Justice Association of California Announces Passing of General Counsel Fred J. Hiestand
Hiestand served for a half-century advancing fairness and balance in California’s civil liability system.
Media Contact:
Julie Stephens
323.301.6646
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 7, 2023) – Civil Justice Association of California (CJAC)’s beloved general counsel, Fred J. Hiestand, passed away on July 2 in Sacramento, following a recent cancer diagnosis. Fred was CJAC’s general counsel and advocate since its founding in 1979.
“Fred has been the titan of civil justice reform in California over the last five decades on behalf of the business community,” said Kyla Christoffersen Powell, president and chief executive officer of CJAC. “He was a key architect behind many of California’s landmark civil liability laws in the legislature and at the ballot box, including the Medical Injury Compensation Reform Act of 1975 (MICRA), the Napkin Deal, and Proposition 64 which addressed shakedown lawsuits under the Unfair Competition Law. Combined with the unparalleled scale of his amicus work in the federal and state appellate courts, Fred leaves behind a remarkable legacy that extends to all three branches of government. Importantly, he was also a great mentor and source of inspiration to those of us blessed to work with and learn from him. Our deepest sympathies go out to his wife and family for their loss.”
“Fred’s career arc was astounding,” said Gordon Ownby, retired general counsel of the Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. and former chair of CJAC’s Board of Directors and Amicus Curiae Committee. “He fought for seniors and for civil and prisoner rights as a young lawyer and, during the years I knew him, promoted a balanced civil justice system so that patients have access to medical care and businesses can fairly resolve disputes. Through friend-of-the-court briefs he wrote on behalf of CJAC over several decades, Fred made lasting contributions to the body of California law. Fred showed us the great breadth of what one can do with a license to practice law.”
Fred began working on tort reform issues in 1973 when then-Assemblymembers Henry Waxman and Howard Berman asked him to serve as consultant to the Assembly Select Committee on Medical Malpractice. In 1975, Governor Jerry Brown asked Fred to serve as special counsel on medical liability. Subsequently, Assembly Leadership asked him to serve as counsel to the Joint Legislative Committee on Tort Liability. Shortly thereafter, he helped form the Association for California Tort Reform, later renamed CJAC. Fred also concurrently led the Californians Allied for Patient Protection, the coalition to protect MICRA from 1999-2007 as chief executive officer and general counsel.
In his personal time, Fred served on the board of St. HOPE, founded by former Mayor Kevin Johnson, to revitalize Oak Park in Sacramento through high quality public education and economic development.
Fred is survived by his wife Peggy, his children Kevin, Kerry, Alison, and Zane, and four grandchildren.