H.R. 5477
IntroducedLitigation Reimbursement Act
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Full text of the bill
Official source on Congress.gov ↗[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 5477 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5477
To direct courts to award attorneys fees in criminal cases that do not result in a conviction, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 18, 2025
Mr. McCormick (for himself and Mr. Ezell) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
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A BILL
To direct courts to award attorneys fees in criminal cases that do not result in a conviction, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Litigation Reimbursement Act''.
SEC. 2. AWARD OF ATTORNEYS FEES REQUIRED IN CRIMINAL CASES THAT DO NOT RESULT IN A CONVICTION.
Section 617 of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (18 U.S.C. 3006A note) is amended--
(1) by striking ``fiscal year 1998'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2026'';
(2) by striking ``pending on or after the date of the enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``pending on or after the date of the enactment of the Litigation Reimbursement Act''; and
(3) by striking ``may award to a prevailing party, other than the United States, a reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation expenses, where the court finds that the position of the United States was vexatious, frivolous, or in bad faith,'' and inserting ``shall award to a prevailing party, other than the United States, a reasonable attorney's fee and other litigation expenses, in any case that proceeds to trial and with respect to which a verdict is rendered by the judge or jury that is not a conviction,''.
SEC. 3. AWARD OF COSTS AND FEES REQUIRED IN CIVIL CASES.
Section 2412 of title 28, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``may be awarded'' and inserting ``shall be awarded''; and
(2) in subsection (b), by striking ``may be awarded'' and inserting ``shall be awarded''. <all>