H.R. 966: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2011
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H.R. 966: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2011
112th Congress · introduced 2011-03-09 · Law · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 114.
federal
Follow this bill, step by step
- Where it came from: introduced 2011-03-09 · official record
- Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
- What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
- Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 114. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
- If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.
Official title
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2011
Plain summary
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2011 - Amends the sanctions provisions in Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to require the court to impose an appropriate sanction on any attorney, law firm, or party that has violated, or is responsible for the violation of, the rule with regard to representations to the court. Requires any sanction to compensate parties injured by the conduct in question. Removes a provision that prohibits filing a motion for sanctions if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets. Authorizes the court to impose additional sanctions, including striking the pleadings, dismissing the suit, nonmonetary directives, or penalty payments if warranted for effective deterrence. Prohibits this Act from being construed as barring or impeding the assertion or development of new claims, defenses, or remedies under federal, state, or local laws, including civil rights laws, or under the Constitution.
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 2011
Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
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The strongest published arguments
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Alternatives
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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes
Officials and money
Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 4 cosponsors
Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.
Cosponsors on this site
Ken Calvert (R-CA)
No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.
Words on this page, explained (2)
- Appropriation
- Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
- 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
- Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to House with amendment(s))
- Congress.gov
- Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr966.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>
Record fed-us-cong112-hr966 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112