Senate Bill No. 148, introduced by Senator Miguez and Representative Mike Johnson, aims to establish new provisions regarding liability in civil actions, specifically concerning judgments of dismissal. The bill enacts two new articles in the Code of Civil Procedure: Article 971.1 and Article 1674. Article 971.1 stipulates that if a defendant has all causes of action dismissed through a dispositive motion or exception before trial, they are entitled to a judgment against the plaintiff for the costs and attorney fees incurred in their defense. Similarly, Article 1674 provides that if a defendant secures a judgment resulting in the dismissal of all causes of action after a trial, they are also entitled to recover costs and attorney fees from the plaintiff.

The proposed law emphasizes the financial implications for plaintiffs who file actions that are dismissed, either pretrial or post-trial, thereby potentially discouraging frivolous lawsuits. The effective date for these provisions is set for August 1, 2025.