PSI Sci
New here? Follow the money and the votes · Not sure of your district? Find your U.S. House member · Find your state legislators

H.R. 420: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005

Before you vote › Federal bills

H.R. 420: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005

109th Congress · introduced 2005-01-26 · Law · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2005-01-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 3 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 551 (2005): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR420 (2005-10-27), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005

Plain summary

Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005 - (Sec. 2) Amends Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (Signing of Pleadings, Motions, and Other Papers; Representations to Court; Sanctions) to: (1) require courts to impose sanctions on attorneys, law firms, or parties who file frivolous lawsuits (currently discretionary); (2) disallow the withdrawal or correction of pleadings to avoid Rule 11 sanctions; (3) require courts to award parties prevailing on Rule 11 motions reasonable expenses and attorney's fees, if warranted; and (4) authorize courts to impose Rule 11 sanctions that include reimbursement of a party's reasonable litigation costs in connection with frivolous lawsuits. (Sec. 3) Makes Rule 11 applicable to state civil actions where the state court determines, upon motion, that an action substantially affects interstate commerce. (Sec. 4) Requires personal injury claims (defined to exclude class actions) filed in state or federal court to be filed in the county or federal district in which: (1) the person bringing the claim resides at the time of filing or resided at the time of the alleged injury; (2) the alleged injury or circumstances giving rise to the claim occurred; (3) the defendant's principal place of business is located; or (4) the defendant resides, if the defendant is an individual. Directs the trial court to determine which county or federal district is the most appropriate forum in those situations where the alleged injury occurred in more than one county or district. (Sec. 6) Requires a federal district court to suspend from the practice of law for one year (or for an additional period at the court's discretion) an attorney who is found to have violated Rule 11 three or more times. Grants such attorney a right to appeal a suspension and permits reinstatement after suspension under procedures and conditions prescribed by the court. (Sec. 7) Establishes a rebuttable presumption that an attempt to litigate, in any forum, an issue that has been previously litigated and lost on three consecutive prior occasions is a Rule 11 violation. (Sec. 8) Imposes additional sanctions for the intentional destruction of documents sought in, and highly relevant to, a court proceeding.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 57 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 420, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005 (2005-06-03); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 420, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2005 (2005-06-03)

Cosponsors on this site

Michael T. McCaul (R-TX), John Boozman (R-AR), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Michael K. Simpson (R-ID)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Rulemaking
The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong109-hr420 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong109 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong109