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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 725 (115th)

Innocent Party Protection Act

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

30 January 2017

Last action

13 March 2017 · Introduced

Status

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Sponsors

Ken Buck, ROBERT GOODLATTE, Trent Franks, Blake Farenthold, LAMAR SMITH, Pete Sessions

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

10 August 2026

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Innocent Party Protection Act This bill amends procedures under which federal courts determine whether a case that was removed from a state court to a federal court on the basis of a diversity of citizenship among the parties may be remanded back to state court upon a motion opposed on fraudulent joinder grounds that: (1) one or more defendants are citizens of the same state as one or more plaintiffs, or (2) one or more defendants properly joined and served are citizens of the state in which the action was brought. Joinder of such a defendant is fraudulent if the court finds: actual fraud in the pleading of jurisdictional facts with respect to that defendant, state law would not plausibly impose liability on that defendant, state or federal law bars all claims in the complaint against that defendant, or no good faith intention to prosecute the action against that defendant or to seek a joint judgment including that defendant. In determining whether to grant or deny such a motion for remand, the court: (1) may permit pleadings to be amended; and (2) must consider the pleadings, affidavits, and other evidence submitted by the parties. A federal court finding that all such defendants have been fraudulently joined must: (1) dismiss without prejudice the claims against those defendants, and (2) deny the motion for remand.

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

Timeline

  1. 30 January 2017

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 30 January 2017

    Introduced

    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 30 January 2017

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 31 January 2017

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

    Source: Committee

  5. 24 February 2017

    Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 5.

    Source: Calendars

  6. 24 February 2017

    Reported

    Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-17.

    Source: Committee

  7. 24 February 2017

    Reported

    Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 115-17.

    Source: Committee

  8. 7 March 2017

    Reported

    Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 175 Reported to House. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 725

    Source: Floor

  9. 8 March 2017

    Passed

    Rule H. Res. 175 passed House.

    Source: Floor

  10. 9 March 2017

    Passed

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

    Source: Floor

  11. 9 March 2017

    Vote

    On passage Passed by recorded vote: 224 - 194 (Roll no. 152).

    Source: Floor

  12. 9 March 2017

    Vote

    Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 224 - 194 (Roll no. 152).

    Source: Floor

  13. 9 March 2017

    Vote

    On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 187 - 233 (Roll no. 151).

    Source: Floor

  14. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.

    Source: Floor

  15. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    Ms. Kuster (NH) moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text: CR H2002)

    Source: Floor

  16. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

    Source: Floor

  17. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 725.

    Source: Floor

  18. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Rule providing for consideration of H.R. 725

    Source: Floor

  19. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.

    Source: Floor

  20. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 175 and Rule XVIII.

    Source: Floor

  21. 9 March 2017

    Reported

    Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 175. (consideration: CR H1968-1974; text of measure as reported in House: CR H1972)

    Source: Floor

  22. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 725 as unfinished business.

    Source: Floor

  23. 9 March 2017

    Passed

    On motion that the committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.

    Source: Floor

  24. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    Mr. Farenthold moved that the committee rise.

    Source: Floor

  25. 9 March 2017

    Floor

    The Speaker designated the Honorable Jody B. Hice to act as Chairman of the Committee.

    Source: Floor

  26. 13 March 2017

    Introduced

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

    Source: IntroReferral

Votes

10 March 2017 · passed · On Passage · Passed · Official source

Yes 224 · No 194 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 11

Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

10 March 2017 · failed · On Motion to Recommit with Instructions · Failed · Official source

Yes 187 · No 233 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 9

Showing the first 8 recorded positions. Vote totals above are complete.

Versions

Documents

11 official files

Referred in Senate (text)

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Sponsors

Related records

Sources

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