S 193 Session 112 (1997-1998)
S 0193 General Bill, By Martin, Elliott, Giese and Ryberg
A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 15-36-10 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976,
RELATING TO LIABILITY FOR ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS OF FRIVOLOUS SUITS, SO AS
TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON IS LIABLE UNDER THIS SECTION WHENEVER A MOTION TO
DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF ACTION,
A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, A MOTION FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT, OR A MOTION
FOR AN INVOLUNTARY NONSUIT IS GRANTED IN FAVOR OF A PERSON SEEKING AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE FEES AND COSTS; TO AMEND SECTION 15-36-20, RELATING TO
FACTORS SUPPORTING A FINDING THAT AN ACTION WAS PURSUED FOR A PROPER PURPOSE,
TO PROVIDE A PURPOSE SHALL NOT BE FOUND IF A MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO
STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF ACTION, A MOTION FOR SUMMARY
JUDGMENT, A MOTION FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT, OR A MOTION FOR AN INVOLUNTARY
NONSUIT IS GRANTED IN FAVOR OF THE PERSON SEEKING AS ASSESSMENT OF THE FEES
AND COSTS; AND TO AMEND SECTION 15-36-40, RELATING TO THE BURDEN OF PROVING
THAT AN ACTION IS FRIVOLOUS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE GRANTING OF A MOTION TO
DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF ACTION,
A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, A MOTION FOR DIRECTED VERDICT, OR A MOTION FOR
AN INVOLUNTARY NONSUIT IN FAVOR OF THE PERSON SEEKING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE
FEES AND COSTS SHALL SATISFY THE BURDEN PROVIDED FOR IN THIS SECTION.
01/16/97 Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-6
01/16/97 Senate Referred to Committee on Judiciary SJ-6
A BILL
TO AMEND SECTION 15-36-10 OF THE CODE OF LAWS OF
SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO LIABILITY FOR
ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS OF FRIVOLOUS SUITS, SO
AS TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON IS LIABLE UNDER THIS
SECTION WHENEVER A MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE
TO STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF
ACTION, A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, A MOTION
FOR A DIRECTED VERDICT, OR A MOTION FOR AN
INVOLUNTARY NONSUIT IS GRANTED IN FAVOR OF A
PERSON SEEKING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FEES AND
COSTS; TO AMEND SECTION 15-36-20, RELATING TO
FACTORS SUPPORTING A FINDING THAT AN ACTION WAS
PURSUED FOR A PROPER PURPOSE, TO PROVIDE A
PURPOSE SHALL NOT BE FOUND IF A MOTION TO DISMISS
FOR FAILURE TO STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO
CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF ACTION, A MOTION FOR
SUMMARY JUDGMENT, A MOTION FOR A DIRECTED
VERDICT, OR A MOTION FOR AN INVOLUNTARY NONSUIT
IS GRANTED IN FAVOR OF THE PERSON SEEKING AN
ASSESSMENT OF THE FEES AND COSTS; AND TO AMEND
SECTION 15-36-40, RELATING TO THE BURDEN OF PROVING
THAT AN ACTION IS FRIVOLOUS, TO PROVIDE THAT THE
GRANTING OF A MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO
STATE FACTS SUFFICIENT TO CONSTITUTE A CAUSE OF
ACTION, A MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT, A MOTION
FOR DIRECTED VERDICT, OR A MOTION FOR AN
INVOLUNTARY NONSUIT IN FAVOR OF THE PERSON
SEEKING AN ASSESSMENT OF THE FEES AND COSTS
SHALL SATISFY THE BURDEN PROVIDED FOR IN THIS
SECTION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South
Carolina:
SECTION 1. Sections 15-36-10 and 15-36-20 of the 1976 Code
are amended to read:
"Section 15-36-10. (A) Any person who takes
part in the procurement, initiation, continuation, or defense of any
civil proceeding is subject to being assessed for payment of all or a
portion of the attorney's fees and court costs of the other party if:
(1) he does so primarily for a purpose other than that of securing
the proper discovery, joinder of parties, or adjudication of the claim
upon which the proceedings are based; or
(2) the proceedings have terminated in favor of the person seeking
an assessment of the fees and costs.
As used in this chapter, `person' is defined to mean any individual,
corporation, company, association, firm, partnership, society, joint
stock company, and any other entity, including any governmental
entity or unincorporated association of persons.
(B) Attorney's fees and costs shall be assessed under this
chapter whenever a motion to dismiss for failure to state facts
sufficient to constitute a cause of action, a motion for summary
judgment, a motion for a directed verdict, or a motion for an
involuntary nonsuit is granted in favor of the person seeking an
assessment of the fees and costs.
Section 15-36-20. (A) Any person who takes part in the
procurement, initiation, continuation, or defense of civil proceedings
must be considered to have acted to secure a proper purpose as stated
in item (1) of Section 15-36-10 if he reasonably believes in the
existence of the facts upon which his claim is based and
(1) reasonably believes that under those facts his claim may be
valid under the existing or developing law; or
(2) relies upon the advice of counsel, sought in good faith and
given after full disclosure of all facts within his knowledge and
information which may be relevant to the cause of action; or
(3) believes, as an attorney of record, in good faith that his
procurement, initiation, continuation, or defense of a civil cause is
not intended to merely harass or injure the other party.
(B) A proper purpose shall not be found under subsection (A)
if a motion to dismiss for failure to state facts sufficient to constitute
a cause of action, a motion for summary judgment, a motion for a
directed verdict, or a motion for an involuntary nonsuit is granted in
favor of the person seeking an assessment of the fees and
costs."
SECTION 2. Section 15-36-40 of the 1976 Code is amended to
read:
"Section 15-36-40. (A) In a motion filed pursuant
to this chapter the aggrieved person has the burden of proving:
(1) the other party has procured, initiated, continued, or defended
the civil proceedings against him;
(2) the proceedings were terminated in his favor;
(3) the primary purpose for which the proceedings were procured,
initiated, continued, or defended was not that of securing the proper
discovery, joinder of parties, or adjudication of the civil proceedings;
(4) the aggrieved person has incurred attorney's fees and court
costs; and
(5) the amount of the fees and costs set forth in item (4).
(B) The granting of a motion to dismiss for failure to state
facts sufficient to constitute a cause of action, a motion for summary
judgment, a motion for a directed verdict, or a motion for an
involuntary nonsuit in favor of the person seeking an assessment of
the fees and costs shall satisfy the burden provided for in subsection
(A)."
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
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