Abstract
The problem of providing access to justice for consumers in the United States is largely a problem of the high cost of attorneys' services. Major attempts to solve this problem include increased competition, enhanced damages, contingent fees, class actions, government provision of legal services, simplified procedures, arbitration, and mediation. The success or failure of each of these approaches depends not only upon legal provisions but on a variety of political and structural factors.
Zusammenfassung
Das Problem, in den USA einen ausreichenden Rechtszugang für Konsumenten zu gewährleisten, ist weitgehend eine Frage der hohen Anwaltskosten. Der Beitrag diskutiert eine Reihe von Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der derzeitigen Situation. Dazu gehören die Verstärkung des Wettbewerbs, eine Erhöhung von Schadenersatzansprüchen, erfolgsgebundene Honorare, die Verbandsklage, ein staatlich finanzierter Rechtsbeistand, Regelungen zur Verfahrensvereinfachung, Schiedsgerichtsverfahren sowie Vermittlungsverfahren. Der Beitrag kommt zu dem Schluß, daß keine dieser Maßnahmen allein in der Lage ist, das Problem zu lösen, sondern daß mehrere Ansätze ausprobiert werden müssen, und daß ein Erfolg nicht nur von der Wirksamkeit dieser Maßnahmen abhängt, sondern auch von einer Reihe von politischen und gesellschaftlichen Faktoren.
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Additional information
Peter B. Maggs is Corman Professor of Law at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, College of Law, 504 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820, USA. The article is based on a paper delivered at the First International Congress of Consumer Law, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The author wishes to thank Dr. Antonio Benjamin of the Sao Paulo State Attorney General's office for his suggestion of the topic of this paper and for his superb organization of the Congress.
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Maggs, P.B. Access to justice for the consumer in the USA. J Consum Policy 13, 65–78 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411870
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411870