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WASHINGTON - The House on Thursday passed a bill that would take lawyers' licenses if they repeatedly file frivolous lawsuits, the latest in a Republican drive to crack down on costly abuses of the legal system.
Supporters of the bill, which passed 228-184, said lawsuits deemed baseless by a judge for flimsy facts or faulty interpretations of the law are a waste of court time and often a bonanza for lawyers - rather than a chance to recoup legitimate damages for clients.
In a statement, the White House called the bill "a step in the right direction" toward eradicating bogus lawsuits.
No Senate vote is expected this year.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, would reinstate a pre-1993 rule setting mandatory penalties against lawyers who file frivolous lawsuits. It would suspend for a year lawyers who file three baseless claims in any judicial circuit during their careers.
The Judicial Conference of the United States, which sets policy for the federal judiciary, opposes the bill.