The House Judiciary Committee today approved H.R. 758, the Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act (LARA) by a vote of 19-13. Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Congressman Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chief sponsor of LARA, praised the Committee's approval of the legislation that will reduce frivolous lawsuits in the United States. The bill goes further to impose mandatory sanctions on attorneys who file baseless lawsuits in federal courts.
Chairman Goodlatte: "Frivolous lawsuits have no place in the American courtroom, and current loopholes allow too many lawyers to take advantage of innocent victims. Current laws allow lawyers to file baseless claims, and pass legal costs on to the victims with no guarantee of compensation. That's why the passage of LARA is essential to end lawsuit abuse. LARA guarantees that victims are fully compensated for harm done by filers of frivolous lawsuits in federal courts."
It is my hope that LARA, one of the Speaker's top legal reform priorities, is passed again by the full House of Representatives."
Congressman Smith: "Lawsuit abuse is common in America because the lawyers who bring these frivolous cases have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Lawyers can file meritless lawsuits, and defendants are faced with the choice of years of litigation, high court costs and attorneys' fees or a settlement out of court. This is legalized extortion. The Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act restores accountability to our legal system by imposing mandatory sanctions on attorneys who file worthless lawsuits. LARA ensures that our justice system is not just another tool for those who line their pockets by filing frivolous suits. I look forward to working with Chairman Goodlatte and Senator Grassley to get this good bill passed in the House and Senate and sent to the president's desk."