Counsel's liability for excessive costs

28 U.S.C. § 1927

• Title: 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
• Chapter: 123 — FEES AND COSTS

Text

Any attorney or other person admitted to conduct cases in any court of the United States or any Territory thereof who so multiplies the proceedings in any case unreasonably and vexatiously may be required by the court to satisfy personally the excess costs, expenses, and attorneys' fees reasonably incurred because of such conduct.

History

(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 957; Pub. L. 96–349, §3, Sept. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 1156.)

Editorial Notes

Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §829 (R.S. §982).
Word "personally" was inserted upon authority of Motion Picture Patents Co. v. Steiner et al., 1912, 201 F. 63, 119 C.C.A. 401. Reference to "proctor" was omitted as covered by the revised section.
See definition of "court of the United States" in section 451 of this title.
Changes were made in phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments
1980—Pub. L. 96–349 substituted judicial authorization to require attorneys to satisfy excess costs, expenses, and attorneys' fees reasonably incurred because of multiplication of proceedings for such prior authority to impose liability for increased costs based on multiplication of proceedings.