how to go after a attorney that filled a frivolous lawsuit

by Gretchen Rohan 4 min read

The easiest and most common option is to file a motion for sanctions pursu-ant to Illinois Supreme Court Rule 137 (“Rule 137” or “rule”), which allows a party to recover attorney fees spent de-fending against frivolous litigation. But another possibility – harder to pursue but potentially more rewarding – is an action for malicious prosecution. There, successful defendantsturn the tables by filing a new action against defeated plaintiffsin an attempt to collect dam-ages for filing a frivolous claim.1This article reviews the procedure for pursuing Rule 137 sanctions and the el-ements of malicious prosecution, and helps you determine which approach is right for your case.

If you're wondering about how to stop most frivolous lawsuits, you must contact an experienced attorney who can advise you on the best course of action to take. Very often, a wise option is to settle out of court by apologizing or offering a small compensation to resolve the issue even if you were not at fault.

Full Answer

What happens if you file a frivolous lawsuit against a lawyer?

Sep 30, 2020 · Another way to short-circuit a frivolous lawsuit is to show the judge that you have a superior legal case and ask them to rule on the case right now. These motions are different from a Rule 11 motion because they present the judge with facts and arguments about the legal merits rather than just saying the lawsuit is invalid.

How do you short-circuit a frivolous lawsuit?

When faced with a frivolous lawsuit, here are some ways to deal with it: File a motion to dismiss immediately – You may want your lawyer to reach out to …

What is frivolous litigation?

Dec 01, 2001 · He asks his corporate clients for a commitment at the beginning of a case: If the company prevails, he is authorized to go after the worker for the costs associated with the frivolous lawsuit.

How does the court decide if a case is frivolous?

A frivolous lawsuit is a lawsuit with no legal merit. ... There’s too much else to write here but what would be your advice for as I go to appeal on how to avoid the case seeming frivolous and futile and how to avoid the failure to state a claim because that seems to be the court’s easy little trick to deny justice to cases they may have a ...

Can you Countersue frivolous lawsuit?

File a counterclaim – If you are able to have the frivolous lawsuit dismissed, you may file a claim for abuse of process or a different civil claim in regards to the frivolous lawsuit. However, in some states, you may be required to file a counterclaim instead.

Can you sue someone for a frivolous lawsuit?

The law recognizes that while anyone can bring a lawsuit against another person or organization, not all lawsuits have merit or should proceed. The Alberta Rules of Court set out remedies available to parties who are at the receiving end of frivolous or vexatious claims. ...Apr 13, 2018

How do you respond to a frivolous lawsuit?

Here are the three best ways to deal with frivolous lawsuits:File a Motion to Dismiss ASAP. ... File Counterclaims. ... Pursue Vexatious Litigants.Mar 23, 2017

Can a judge award sanctions for a frivolous lawsuit?

A judge may award sanctions for a frivolous lawsuit, motion or appeal. Such sanctions may include awarding the opponent costs, attorney fees, and in at least one case, the offending attorney was ordered to attend law school courses.

What is frivolous lawsuit?

Frivolous lawsuits are cases with no legal merit. These involve claims that are filed despite lacking quality legal arguments or evidence. Some examples of frivolous lawsuits are: A person who you bumped at the bus who wasn’t actually injured.

Is being sued bad?

Being sued is already bad in and of itself. But to make matters worse, the specifics of the complaint are outright lies with no legal merit. These are called frivolous lawsuits — aimed at hurting your reputation and causing people to lose trust in you and your business. So what do you do when you have been sued with a frivolous lawsuit?

What is Rule 11?

Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This requires lawyers to investigate if the lawsuit has a factual basis and prevents them from serving a pleading that’s only intended to harass the defendant. Rule 3.3: Candor Toward the Tribunal.

Can you counter sue someone for defamation?

When faced with a frivolous lawsuit, your first reaction probably is to look into suing for defamation. However, you cannot counter sue someone for defamation when it is based on false statements. Nonetheless, you still have other options as there are legal grounds for counter suing ...

What is an exceptional case?

In “exceptional cases”, the court may award damages to the winning party; in this case “exceptional cases” include frivolous litigations. This holds the plaintiff who files a frivolous lawsuit liable in case the defendant can prove that the plaintiff filed the lawsuit out of malice.

What is a frivolous lawsuit?

High court defines 'frivolous'. An employee who wins a Title VII case against a company is usually awarded attorney fees too. After all, the company has violated a federal law. American common law also allows courts to order those who act in bad faith to pay the attorney fees of their opponents.

What does Silbergeld write to a client?

If you're a corporate client of attorney Arthur Silbergeld facing an apparently groundless case, Silbergeld pens a letter to the worker's attorney that outlines the facts, including the reasons that the case lacks merit.#N#The letter explains that you have no intention of settling and that if you prevail, the worker could be ordered to pay your legal fees and costs .#N#The letter then explains that your attorney has authorization to take legal action to recoup costs and fees if you win. It says, "This point is made for information that we hope you will communicate to your client, and not made as a threat or to appear to be bullying."

What is frivolous lawsuit?

A frivolous lawsuit is a lawsuit that has no legal merit. To put it simply, a frivolous lawsuit has no basis in law or fact. A frivolous lawsuit has no legitimate legal or factual support. Tweet this. Ridiculous, absurd, ludicrous, and nonsensical—these are all words that can be used to describe a frivolous lawsuit.

Who sued Google in 2009?

Rosenberg v. Google Co., Utah District Court (2009) In 2009, Lauren Rosenberg sued Google for more than $100,000. The basis of her lawsuit was that Google Maps advised her to walk along a freeway to get to her destination.

What happened in Liebeck vs McDonald's?

In Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants, Stella Liebeck sued McDonald’s after spilling a cup of hot coffee in her lap. For people who didn’t hear anything more about the case, they chalked the lawsuit up as another example of out-of-control litigation.

Who sued Anheuser-Busch for false advertising?

In 1993, Richard Overton sued Anheuser-Busch for false advertising after he drank a 6-pack of Bud Light and the beer failed to produce visions of beautiful women on a sandy beach (as the advertisement he had seen seemed to suggest).

Who took pants to a dry cleaner?

Roy Pearson took a pair of pants to a local dry cleaners for alterations. The dry cleaners inadvertently sent the pants to the wrong location. Though the pants were quickly recovered and returned to Pearson, he claimed the pants didn’t belong to him (despite documentation provided showing otherwise).

What is the California Code of Civil Procedure?

It is authorized by code (California Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16), when the defendant believes that the lawsuit is intended “primarily to chill the valid exercise of constitutional rights of freedom of speech and petition for the redress of grievances.”.

What is a demurrer in court?

A demurrer is the legal equivalent of saying, “even if everything you say is true, you still don’t have a case.”. There is no evidentiary hearing. In fact, the court must decide a demurrer based on the allegations of the complaint, as it will not hear testimony.

What is a lawsuit?

A lawsuit is a 21 st century American equivalent of a duel — fighting with papers instead of swords, risking money instead of blood. Keep in mind that people who routinely threaten baseless lawsuits are often just adult versions of playground bullies.

What is the role of a lawyer?

Remember, lawyers are meant to be advocates––someone to take up your cause, speak for you, support you, and strive to protect your interests above anyone else’s. It is important that you find someone you can trust. Seek a therapist to help you through the process. Acknowledge that being sued is traumatizing.

What does it mean when someone says something is frivolous?

The term “frivolous” tends to imply that someone has done something with no basis, no real meaning or intent, it had no purpose. It almost translates that someone has done something for fun, lightheartedness. The term is misleading. It is better described as the “phony lawsuit”.

What is extortion disguised as?

The extortion disguised as a lawsuit suit continues to tear down the legal system, overload the courts, and provide an arena where unethical attorneys extort money for themselves and their clients.

What is an unethical attorney?

The unethical attorney has more than just a slight advantage, he has a major advantage. He is immediately given more credibility before the court than he should be afforded because one, he is called an officer of the court, and two, he is sworn not to do things to mislead the court.