Defending our Constitutional Rights
Special interest tried to manipulate our state leadership to destroy our Constitutional right to trial by a jury unencumbered by arbitrary boundaries and limits as guaranteed by the Arkansas State Constitution and the 7th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Such a government overreach would take the power away from a citizens’ jury and tilt the scales in favor of big government, politicians, and powerful special interests.
The Seventh Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states, “In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars ($20.00), the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.”
We must protect citizen-juries and their power to make decisions. People on juries – Arkansas citizens – should decide the outcomes of court cases, not arbitrary mandates.
Protecting the Value of Life
The state shouldn't be allowed to place an arbitrary value on human life, but that’s exactly what special interest have pushed our legislature to do.
We oppose any attempt by big government and special interests to take away an inherent right of the citizens of this state to determine for themselves what value human life has, what justice would be, and what is right in court cases involving death or injury.
Each life is valuable in God’s eyes; we as human beings in court are trying to determine a value to provide justice for those who have done the wrong and monetary mercy for the victims and their families who have suffered the wrong. No arbitrary rule can apply.
It is immoral to assign a specific dollar value to a human life in the law, and this is a slippery slope on issues about the sanctity and dignity of life.
Fighting Those Who Would Rig the System
We must be vigilant against special interests trying to find new ways to profit at our expense.
Protect AR Families will be prepared when these special interests seek to curb our Constitutional rights or attempt to immorally and unethically designate an arbitrary dollar value for human life or human potential.
Why should we amend our state constitution to erode personal responsibility? Why should the burden be shifted from the wrongdoer to the victim or to the taxpayers if someone is negligently injured in a debilitating way? We will not allow special interests to rig the system for the benefit of their bottom lines at our expense.
Protecting Our State Constitutional Rights
The Declaration of Rights of the State of Arkansas includes one of the most fundamental rights our state has always guaranteed its citizens – right to trial by a jury unencumbered by arbitrary conditions or government mandated arbitrary limits.
Specifically, Article 2 Section 7 states "The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate, and shall extend to all cases at law, without regard to the amount in controversy..."
Article 5 Section 32 states that, "Provided, that otherwise no law shall be enacted limiting the amount to be recovered for injuries resulting in death or for injuries to persons or property; and in case of death from such injuries the right of action shall survive, ..."
Article 2 Section 13 states, "Every person is entitled to a certain remedy in the laws for all injuries or wrongs he may receive in his person, property or character; he ought to obtain justice freely, and without purchase; completely, and without denial; promptly and without delay; conformably to the laws."