Equal Access to Courts Act

Summary

Equal Access to Courts Act - Entitles parties which (1) are individuals or entities having assets below specified amounts, and (2) prevail in adjudication before a U.S. agency, to an award for fees and other expenses in the absence of a finding by such agency that its position as a party was substantially justified or that an award is unjust. Directs agencies to establish procedures for the application for such fees and to make written findings of its decision. Prescribes appellate procedures for parties dissatisfied with such award. Allows a court to award costs, not including attorneys' fees, to a party, meeting the criteria of (1) above, which prevails in any civil action brought by or against the United States. Entitles such a party: (1) to an award of reasonable attorneys' fees in certain circumstances; and (2) to additional fees and expenses in the absence of a finding by the court that the position of the U.S. was substantially justified or that an award is unjust. Specifies application procedures for such fees. Directs the Administrative Conference of the United States and the Administrative Office of the United States Courts to make an annual accounting to Congress for such awards made in agency and judicial proceedings.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

No timeline events have been ingested for this record yet.

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 2 August 1978

  Open at official source

Sponsors

No sponsors or actors listed by the source.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.