Structured Settlement Claimants Rights Act of 2013

Bill: 113-hr-3699
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Higgins, Brian [D-NY-26]
Introduced: 2013-12-11
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Civil actions and liability

Judicial procedure and administration

Lawyers and legal services
Latest action: action_date: 2014-01-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial And Antitrust Law.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-12-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Structured Settlement Claimants Rights Act of 2013 - Amends the federal judicial code to declare that a claimant in any civil action before a federal court shall have the right to retain a structured settlement broker to act on behalf of that claimant for purposes of negotiating a schedule of payments or other terms of payment previously agreed to be paid by or on behalf of the defendant in satisfaction of a judgment against that defendant or in accordance with the terms of a settlement.</p> <p>Requires that a party to an administrative proceeding have the same right to retain such a structured settlement broker for negotiations with other parties. </p> Directs: (1) the court or the agency in an administrative proceeding to inform the claimant of this right at the appropriate time, and (2) the defendant to provide timely notice of any current or previous professional relationship between the defendant and the broker.

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3699 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES December 11, 2013 Mr. Higgins (for himself, Mr. Cartwright , Mr. Braley of Iowa , and Mr. Richmond ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To amend title 28, United States Code, to protect the right of a claimant in a civil action before a Federal court to retain a structured settlement broker to negotiate the terms of payment of an award, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Structured Settlement Claimants Rights Act of 2013 . 2. In general (a) Federal court proceedings Chapter 111 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 1660. Right to retain structured settlement broker A claimant in any civil action before a Federal court shall have the right to retain a structured settlement broker to act on behalf of that claimant for purposes of negotiating a schedule of payments or other terms of payment of a sum certain previously agreed to paid by or on behalf of the defendant in satisfaction of a judgment against that defendant or in accordance with the terms of a settlement. The court shall inform the claimant of this right at the appropriate time. The defendant shall provide timely notice of any professional relationship between the defendant and the broker if any such relationship exists or has existed. . (b) Administrative proceedings Section 554 of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (f) In the case of any proceeding under this section, a party to that proceeding shall have the right to retain a structured settlement broker to act on behalf of that party for purposes of negotiating a schedule of payments or other terms of payment of a sum certain previously agreed to paid by or on behalf of another party in satisfaction of a decision against that party or in accordance with the terms of a settlement between the parties. The agency shall inform the claimant of this right at the appropriate time. The defendant shall provide timely notice of any professional relationship between the defendant and the broker if any such relationship exists or has existed. .