Res 86-056RESOLUTION NO. 86-056
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
OF THE CITY OF POWAY, CALIFORNIA,
~]0RSING PROPOSITION 51
THE FAIR RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 1986
Wheat'S, the present court-adopted doctrine of "joint and several liability"
operates as a "Deep Pocket Doctrine," and has unfairly cost the ~sxpayers and
consumers of California millions of dollars in court judgements, settlsments,
legal costs, skyrocketing insurance premi%~ns and difficulty in obtaining ade-
quate liability insurance coverage; and
WR~3w~AS, many cities, other governmental bodies, business firms and pro-
fessionals are selected as defendants in lawsuits merely because of their per-
ceived assets or insurance and often are found only fractionally at fault but
must pay most or all of the judgement because the defendants most at fault can-
not pay; and
WHEREAS, ultimately this cost is unfairly borne by the taxpayers and con-
sumers of California; and
WHEREAS, the "Fair Responsibility Act of 1986" is an initiative measure that
would give the voters of California an opportunity to reform the inequities and
injustices of this "~cp Pocket Doctrine" by holding liability lawsuit defen-
O~nts financially liable in closer proportion to their degree of actual fault;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Poway
endorses the "Fair Responsibility Ae_t of 1986" and urges its support and passage
to relieve the financial strain imposed on local government and its taxpayers.
PASS~D, ADOPTED AND APPROVED, by the City Co~lncil of the City of Poway,
California, at a regular meeting thereof this£~7t~ day of May, 1986.
Carl R. Kruse, Mayor
AT~EST:
Marjor~e ~. "Wahlsten, City Clerk