This story was inadvertently omitted from Wednesday's Gazette. It

was meant to run with the Issues 2000 story which outlined the Republican

and Democratic candidates' positions on tortreform.

lar...@wvgazette.com

Two other major candidates for governor were not invited to The

Greenbrier business summit, but have similar opinions to offer regarding

proposed changes to the state's civil justice system.

Author and Mountain Party candidate Denise Giardina and Bob Myers, the

Huntington businessman on the Libertarian ticket, share skeptical

views regarding the need for tortreform.

"Generally, Libertarians feel that the courts should be open to anyone,

which would make us very cautious about tortreform," Myers

we want to see more government involvement."

Myers said that if anything, the court system favors large corporations

to the detriment of others.

"If you have money, you can buy your way into one level of justice. If

you don't have money, you get another level of justice," he said. "When a

This story was inadvertently omitted from Wednesday's Gazette. It

was meant to run with the Issues 2000 story which outlined the Republican

and Democratic candidates' positions on tortreform.

lar...@wvgazette.com

Two other major candidates for governor were not invited to The

Greenbrier business summit, but have similar opinions to offer regarding

proposed changes to the state's civil justice system.

Author and Mountain Party candidate Denise Giardina and Bob Myers, the

Huntington businessman on the Libertarian ticket, share skeptical

views regarding the need for tortreform.

"Generally, Libertarians feel that the courts should be open to anyone,

which would make us very cautious about tortreform," Myers

we want to see more government involvement."

Myers said that if anything, the court system favors large corporations

to the detriment of others.

"If you have money, you can buy your way into one level of justice. If

you don't have money, you get another level of justice," he said. "When a

rock comes through my roof from a mining company, I want a just and

equitable outcome. I don't want a mining company hiding behind a bunch of

lawyers."

Myers said he does favor such proposals as mediation and binding

arbitration to resolve civil disputes, such as how they are used to

resolve contract disputes between workers and their employers.

Giardina pointed out the court rule that allows judges to fine lawyers

for filing meritless lawsuits as one of several "reform" measures

that already exists.

"It seems that those kinds of protections are already in place," she

just a way of increasing profits for the insurance companies and denying

protection for consumers and people who use services."

Giardina further questioned whether insurance companies are part of the

problem, instead of lawsuits, in such areas a medical malpractice.

"Perhaps if we are going to put a cap on something, perhaps we should

put a cap on malpractice insurance," Giardina said. "It's supposed to

protect doctors, not make insurance companies wealthy."

To contact staff writer Lawrence Messina, use e-mail or call 348-4869.