Federal RuleAug 21
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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
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119-s-3239119th Congress
JAIL Act
Sponsored By: Senator Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
Introduced
Summary
Holds judges and government entities civilly liable when a repeat violent offender released on bail harms someone. It would let victims or immediate family members sue in federal district court and removes judicial immunity as a defense for those suits.
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- Families and victims: A harmed person or an immediate family member if the victim is deceased could bring a civil action in federal court seeking damages after harm by a qualified pretrial releasee. A "covered defendant" means someone charged with a crime of violence who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence.
- Judges: Federal and state judges who order release of such repeat violent offenders could face civil suits based on those release decisions.
- Government entities: Federal or state government entities that issue release orders can also be sued in the same federal courts for harms caused during pretrial release.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Suing judges for released violent offenders
If enacted, this bill would let a person harmed by a "covered defendant" sue the judge or government agency that released them on bail in U.S. district court. A "covered defendant" would be someone charged with a crime of violence who has a prior conviction for a crime of violence (using 18 U.S.C. §16). If the harmed person died, an immediate family member could bring the suit. Judges could not use judicial immunity as a defense, and "judge" would include Federal and State judges. The bill does not set damages caps or other procedural limits in this section.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]
MT • R
Cosponsors
Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN]
TN • R
Sponsored 11/20/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov