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HR 2393 109th Congress House Law Civil actions and liability Civil procedure Damages District courts Evidence (Law) Legal fees

Frivolous Lawsuit Reduction Act

Introduced: May 17, 2005 See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 17, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
May 17, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Frivolous Lawsuit Reduction Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to authorize parties in civil diversity litigation to serve written settlement offers on an adverse party at any time not less than 10 days before trial.

Authorizes the court, at any time before judgment is entered, to exempt from settlement any claim that presents a novel and important question of law or fact that substantially affects nonparties. Voids all settlement offers made by the parties with respect to such exempted claims.

Authorizes an offeror whose proposed settlement was declined by an offeree to file a petition with the court seeking payment by the offeree of costs and fees, including attorney's fees, from the date of the last settlement offer by either party if the ultimate judgment or order is not more favorable to the offeree than the proposed settlement. Requires the court to order payment by the offeree in such circumstances unless requiring payment would be manifestly unjust.

Limits attorney's fees ordered under this Act to: (1) the actual attorney's fees incurred by the offeree in connection with the claim; or (2) if no such cost was incurred due to a contingency fee agreement, a reasonable cost that would have been incurred by the offeree absent a contingency fee agreement.

States that this Act does not apply to claims seeking equitable remedies.

What's happening now May 17, 2005

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2393: Frivolous Lawsuit Reduction Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2393/
MLA
"H.R. 2393: Frivolous Lawsuit Reduction Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2393/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2393, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2393/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2393: Frivolous Lawsuit Reduction Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-2393/)
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