WASHINGTON (May 25, 2005) — The House Judiciary Committee has voted 19-11 to report the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act favorably to the full House.
The bill, which passed the House last September but failed to move in the Senate before the 108th Congress adjourned, would require judges to levy financial sanctions—usually the defendant's legal fees and court costs—against plaintiffs' attorneys who file frivolous lawsuits. It also would prevent “venue shopping” among plaintiffs' attorneys by limiting the judicial venues where they can file suit.
The bill is supported by the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Coalition, a group of more than 120 organizations including the Rubber Manufacturers Association and the Tire Industry Association.