House Bill No. 4325 proposes an amendment to Section 82.0651(d) of the Government Code, specifically addressing civil penalties for the offense of barratry. The bill increases the penalty for individuals who engage in barratry from $10,000 to $50,000. In addition to this increased penalty, individuals who prevail in a barratry action will still be entitled to recover actual damages caused by the prohibited conduct and reasonable and necessary attorney's fees.

The changes introduced by this bill will apply to causes of action filed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. For actions filed before this date, the existing law will remain in effect. This amendment aims to strengthen the deterrent against barratry by significantly raising the financial penalties associated with the offense.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 82.0651 (Government Code 82)