HB 05525 - Court Authority to Impose Sanctions in Civil Actions

• Requires all pleadings, motions, and procedural documents in civil actions to be signed by an attorney or unrepresented party, including the signer's address, email address, and telephone number.

• Imposes a certification requirement that documents are not presented for improper purposes (harassment, delay, or increased costs) and that claims, defenses, and factual contentions have warranted legal and evidentiary support.

• Authorizes courts to impose sanctions on parties, attorneys, or law firms that violate certification requirements, after notice and reasonable opportunity to respond, with sanctions limited to deterring repetition of conduct.

• Permits separate motions for sanctions to be filed, but prohibits filing if the challenged document is withdrawn or corrected within 21 days; allows courts to award reasonable expenses and attorney's fees to prevailing parties.

• Applies to actions pending and filed on or after October 1, 2016, and repeals existing General Statutes Section 52-99; aligns Connecticut's sanctions authority with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11.