Restoring Court Authority Over Litigation Act of 2024
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 11, 2024
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Restoring Court Authority Over Litigation Act of 2024 would prevent federal agencies from regulating attorneys and law firms when they engage in litigation activities and would eliminate private lawsuits against opposing attorneys for their courtroom conduct. The bill responds to concerns that federal agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau have increasingly tried to regulate attorney behavior during litigation, which the bill's supporters argue should remain exclusively under the authority of state supreme courts and federal courts. The legislation specifically exempts attorneys engaged in litigation from federal debt collection laws and consumer protection regulations, essentially clarifying that courts—not federal agencies or private parties—have the power to discipline attorneys through established professional conduct rules and disciplinary procedures. The bill would apply to all attorneys licensed in any U.S. state or territory and would take effect immediately upon passage, with no specific funding required. The bill reflects longstanding support from state chief justices who have opposed federal agency oversight of the legal profession.
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