H.R. 758: Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-02-05 · Law · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-02-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: 2 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 500 (2015): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR758 (2015-09-17), Failed. See all
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.
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 2015

Plain summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.) Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) 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that prohibits filing a motion for sanctions if the challenged paper, claim, defense, contention, or denial is withdrawn or appropriately corrected within 21 days after service or within another time the court sets.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.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House without amendment)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Lamar [R-TX-21] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 758, Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act of 2015 (2015-05-21)

Cosponsors on this site

Recorded votes

House roll call 500 (2015): On Motion to Recommit with Instructions, HR758 (2015-09-17): Failed
House roll call 501 (2015): On Passage, HR758 (2015-09-17): Passed

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 (Passed House without amendment)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr758.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr758 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114