House passes bill to penalize 'frivolous' lawsuits

摘要

The House today passed Republican-backed legislation to reduce "frivolous" federal lawsuits by a vote of 230-188, rejecting Democratic amendments. Texas Republican Rep. Lamar Smith's H.R. 720 would sanction lawyers for filing baseless complaints. It would also prevent parties and attorneys from avoiding penalties by removing claims within 21 days (E&E Daily, March 9).