Judiciary
Task Force Description
The ALEC Judiciary Task Force develops model policy solutions on criminal and civil justice matters. Currently, nearly one in every 100 American adults is behind bars and once released from prison more than four in ten return within three years. This failing system costs federal, state, and local governments approximately $85 billion, yet does not deliver adequate public safety results for taxpayers, victims, and individuals. In addition, our current criminal justice system places tremendous human costs on society.
In response, the American Legislative Exchange Council began its work in criminal justice and aimed to advance proven criminal justice reforms based on over two decades of data-driven research and practice. Members of the Judiciary Task Force advance solutions that refocus criminal justice resources on dangerous individuals and put the right programs in place to hold those who commit nonviolent offenses accountable while providing them with the resources they need to successfully reenter society.
On civil justice, the Judiciary Task Force and its members are at the forefront of the efforts to restore fairness and predictability to the civil justice system. The Task Force has developed model policy to protect the legal system from frivolous litigation that threatens its reliability, strains judicial resources and cripples businesses’ ability to innovate, employ and engender economic prosperity. We bring together legal scholars, state lawmakers and industry representatives to craft targeted reforms that minimize loopholes, oust outrageous legal theories, align lawsuits with commonsense liability, and make the legal system a better arbiter of the free market economy.
This work has resulted in the development of over 75 diligently developed model policies that balance justice in such areas as consumer protection liability, judicial overreach, asbestos litigation, workers’ compensation, product liability, anti-SLAPP public speech protection, jury service, sue and settle regulatory expansion and more.
Meeting Information
Friday, July 18
9:15 AM – 12:15 PM ET
Presentation: Law Enforcement Recruitment, Retention & Case Clearance Rates
Presentation: Requiring an Oath for State Legislative Testimony; Perjury Charges
Presentation: A Principled Approach to Safety and Justice; The Bipartisan Justice Reform Initiative
Presentation: Harper v. IRS — How the Third-Party Doctrine Eviscerates Your Privacy Rights
Presentation: Transparency in Consumer Legal Funding
New Model Policy: Researcher Access to Data
New Model Policy: Swarming Prevention Act
New Model Policy (Dual Jurisdiction): Act to Strengthen Existing State Human Trafficking Statutes
Model Policy Renewals
- Truth in Damages Act
- The Phantom Damages Elimination Act
- Actual Harms Act
- Resolution on Criminal Justice Fines and Fees
For the Good of the Order
Adjournment
All Model Policies
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Swarming Prevention Act Draft
Section 1. Purpose and scope. The purpose of this Act is to classify the physical assault of a person as an aggravated assault when collectively committed by three or more persons. This Act is intended to amend the criminal code of [INSERT STATE] and its applicability is not confined within…
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Researcher Access to Data Act Draft
Section 1. Legislative Purpose and Findings The legislature finds and declares the following: (a) Criminal justice policies and programs that are evidence-based and supported by relevant research result in superior outcomes. (b) State and local agencies record and retain a wide variety of criminal justice data and records, including sensitive…
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Act to Strengthen Existing State Human Trafficking Statutes Draft
An Act to amend [STATE’s] relevant code relative to criminal offenses. BE IT ENACTED: The relevant state code is amended by amending it to include the language contained herein: 1. “Human trafficking offense” means the commission of any act that constitutes…
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Independent Administrative Law Judges Act Final
Whereas, due process of law, which is fundamental to ordered liberty in all dealings with the government, requires fair, unbiased, and independent adjudicators; and Whereas, unbiased and independent hearings and final decisions of all contested matters is necessary to both the actual and perceived legitimacy of the adjudicatory system; and Whereas, the…
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Veterans Justice Act Final
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF _________: Section 1. Purpose (1) Veterans charged with certain offenses shall be given the opportunity to avoid a record of conviction, or have a felony reduced to a misdemeanor, in probation eligible offenses and avoid incarceration, and instead receive probation…
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Bail Forfeiture Payments Act Final
Section 1. {Definitions} Section 2. {Forfeiture upon Failure to Appear} Upon the defendant having failed to appear at a required court appearance, the court shall declare the bail bond to be forfeited. The clerk of the court shall mail a notice of the forfeiture to both the surety and bail…