Bill · H.R. 5477· House(119-HR-5477)
Litigation Reimbursement Act
- Introduced
- 9/18/2025
- Last activity
- 9/18/2025 — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Sponsored by
- Richard McCormick
- Cosponsors
- - 1 - 0
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Litigation Reimbursement Act is a bill designed to change how legal fees are handled in specific legal proceedings. It directs courts to award reasonable attorney's fees and litigation expenses to a prevailing party in criminal cases that proceed to trial but do not result in a conviction. Additionally, the bill amends existing law regarding civil cases to change the language surrounding the awarding of costs and fees. These changes move the authority from discretionary to mandatory.
Yes
Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts?+5
The bill provides a mandatory mechanism for individuals to recover legal costs in criminal cases that reach trial without a conviction.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+3
The bill may help low-income individuals recover legal expenses if they successfully defend against criminal charges.
Would middle-income households be better off under this?+3
The bill provides a mechanism for middle-income individuals to recoup litigation costs in legal proceedings.
The opposite
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?-3
The bill mandates increased government expenditure through required attorney's fee and litigation expense payouts.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Mandatory Attorney's Fees in Criminal Cases: Under Section 2, the bill changes the requirement so that courts "shall award" fees and expenses to a prevailing party in criminal cases that go to trial but do not end in a conviction. This provides a guaranteed recovery of expenses for those who successfully defend themselves against criminal charges.
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Mandatory Award of Costs and Fees in Civil Cases: Section 3 amends title 28 of the United States Code to change "may be awarded" to "shall be awarded" regarding costs and fees. This ensures that in specific civil circumstances, the awarding of these funds becomes a requirement rather than a choice for the court.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Increased Costs for Unsuccessful Criminal Prosecutions: Because Section 2 mandates that courts "shall award" reasonable attorney's fees and litigation expenses in any case that goes to trial without a conviction, this creates a required financial payout following such trials.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Middle Class Households+3
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process+5
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Government Spending-3
- 9/18/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Mike EzellRepublican · Mississippi