Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial ProcedureRelease 119-73
§1927 Counsel’s liability for excessive costs
Title 28 › Part PART V— - PROCEDURE › Chapter CHAPTER 123— - FEES AND COSTS › § 1927
Summary
If a lawyer or other person allowed to practice in U.S. courts needlessly makes a case longer or more costly, a judge can order them to personally pay the extra costs and lawyers’ fees caused by that conduct.
Full Legal Text
Title 28, §1927
Judiciary and Judicial Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any attorney or other person admitted to conduct cases in any court of the United States or any Territory thereof who so multiplies the proceedings in any case unreasonably and vexatiously may be required by the court to satisfy personally the excess costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees reasonably incurred because of such conduct.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 829 (R.S. § 982). Word “personally” was inserted upon authority of Motion Picture Patents Co. v. Steiner et al., 1912, 201 F. 63, 119 C.C.A. 401. Reference to “proctor” was omitted as covered by the revised section. See definition of “court of the United States” in section 451 of this title. Changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1980—Pub. L. 96–349 substituted judicial authorization to require attorneys to satisfy excess costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees reasonably incurred because of multiplication of proceedings for such prior authority to impose liability for increased costs based on multiplication of proceedings.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
28 U.S.C. § 1927
Title 28 — Judiciary and Judicial Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73