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HR 461 106th Congress House Law Civil procedure Crime and Law Enforcement Evidence (Law) Fines (Penalties) Frivolous lawsuits Lawyers Legal assistance to prisoners Legal ethics Prisoners

Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1999

Introduced: February 2, 1999 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 106th Congress ended
It never became law before the 106th Congress (1999–2000) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Feb 25, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.
Feb 2, 1999
Introduced in House
Feb 2, 1999
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1999 - Amends rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to provide that by presenting to the court a pleading, written motion, or other paper, an attorney or unrepresented party is certifying (among other things and subject to specified limitations) that the allegations and other factual contentions have evidentiary support, are made in a case involving a party other than a prisoner, and, if specifically so identified, are likely to have evidentiary support after a reasonable opportunity for further investigation or discovery.

Directs the court, upon determining in a case involving a party who is a prisoner that provisions regarding improper representations to the court have been violated, to impose an appropriate sanction upon the attorneys, law firms, or parties responsible for the violation.

Specifies that a sanction imposed for a violation of this rule shall not be limited to what is sufficient to deter repetition of such conduct or comparable conduct by others similarly situated in a case involving a party who is a prisoner.

What's happening now February 25, 1999

Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts and Intellectual Property.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 461: Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1999. 106th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-461/
MLA
"H.R. 461: Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1999." 106th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-461/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 461, 106th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-461/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 461: Prisoners Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 1999](https://openamerica.io/bill/106-HR-461/)
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