Vote ‘no’ on Issue 1

The U.S. Constitution provides, “In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed $20, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved …”

The Arkansas Constitution provides, “The right of trial by jury shall remain inviolate, and shall extend to all cases at law, without regard to the amount in controversy …”; “Every person is entitled to a certain remedy in the laws for all injuries or wrongs he may receive in his person …”

Now special interests are trying to deprive Arkansans of rights guaranteed by our forefathers. These special interests control politicians who are trying to decide, in advance, the value of human life by violating the right to have juries decide these matters based upon the evidence they hear in each jury trial.

The framers of the constitutions, while the framing quill was still dripping ink, could have added, “… provided, however, no person shall ever recover more than $250,000.”

The fact that they did not illustrates the fact that they trusted jurors to decide what remedy and how much each person is entitled to when they are injured or wronged. The framers set a lower limit—$20—but no upper limit because they knew they could not predict, in advance, the damages, injuries, loss and compensation a person is entitled to, guaranteed by our constitutions, and the framers knew politicians in Little Rock cannot, shall not, ought not be allowed to violate the Constitution as lackeys for big business.

Vote “no” on 1. JOEL PRICE Fort Smith