Opinion ID: 2831320
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Chapter 33—Proportionate Responsibility

Text: Before the Legislature enacted the proportionate responsibility scheme, Texas followed the all-or-nothing system of contributory negligence. Parker v. Highland Park, Inc., 565 S.W.2d 512, 518 (Tex. 1978). Under contributory negligence, if a plaintiff was even one percent at fault, he or she could not recover. See id. In 1973, the Legislature adopted article 2212a, the first comparative negligence statute, “evidenc[ing] a clear policy purpose to apportion negligence according to the fault of the actors.” Id.; see also Act of April 9, 1973, 63d Leg., R.S., ch. 28, §§ 1–2, 4–5, art. 2212a, 1973 Tex. Gen. Laws 41, 41–43, repealed by Act of June 16, 1985, 69th Leg., R.S., ch. 959, § 1, sec. 33.001, 1985 Tex. Gen. Laws 3242, 3270–71. Later, article 2212a was replaced with the comparative responsibility framework in Chapter 33 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. See TEX . CIV . PRAC. & REM . CODE §§ 33.001–.004; see also Act of June 16, 1985, 69th Leg., R.S., ch. 959, § 1, secs. 33.001–.004, 1985 Tex. Gen. Laws 3242, 3270–71, amended by Act of June 16, 1987, 70th Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 2, §§ 2.03–.12, secs. 33.001–.004, 1987 Tex. Gen. Laws 37, 41–44; JCW Elecs., Inc. v. Garza, 257 S.W.3d 701, 703 (Tex. 2008) (setting out the evolution of the comparative fault rules in Texas). In 1995, the Legislature modified Chapter 33 by replacing comparative responsibility with proportionate responsibility. Act of May 18, 1995, 74th Leg., R.S., ch. 136, § 1, 1995 Tex. Gen. Laws 971, 971–75 (amended 2003) (current version at TEX . CIV . PRAC. & REM . CODE §§ 33.001–.004); see JCW Elecs., 257 S.W.3d at 703. Section 33.003 currently provides: (a) The trier of fact, as to each cause of action asserted, shall determine the percentage of responsibility, stated in whole numbers, for the following persons with respect to each person’s causing or contributing to cause in any way the harm for which recovery of damages is sought, whether by negligent act or omission, by any 8 defective or unreasonably dangerous product, by other conduct or activity that violates an applicable legal standard, or by any combination of these: (1) each claimant; (2) each defendant; (3) each settling person; and (4) each responsible third party who has been designated under Section 33.004. TEX . CIV . PRAC. & REM . CODE § 33.003(a). The proportionate responsibility scheme applies to “any cause of action based on tort in which a defendant, settling person, or responsible third party is found responsible for a percentage of the harm for which relief is sought.” Id. § 33.002.