jiayi-li23/proxann_data huggingface dataset:
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Government operations and politics
Date: 2010-07-22 00:00:00

Inspector General Authority Improvement Act of 2010 - (Sec. 2) Amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 to authorize Inspectors General to subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses. Requires an Inspector General to use procedures other than subpoenas to obtain attendance and testimony from federal employees. Requires that such a subpoena provide reasonable notice to the individual whose testimony is sought and state that individual's name and the place of taking the testimony. Directs the Attorney General to represent an Office of Inspector General in the enforcement of such a subpoena. Prohibits an Inspector General from issuing a subpoena if: (1) the Inspector General believes there has been a violation of federal criminal law or the False Claims Act, unless the Inspector General provides 15 days' notice to the Attorney General; or (2) the Attorney General objects, within 14 days, to the issuance of the subpoena on the grounds that the taking of the testimony is likely to endanger national security or to interfere with any criminal investigation or prosecution, any pending investigation under the False Claims Act, or any civil litigation to which the United States is a party. (Sec. 3) Exempts Inspectors General from the Paperwork Reduction Act for any investigation, audit, inspection, evaluation, or other review conducted by any federal office of Inspector General, including any Inspector General defined under the Inspector General Act, any Special Inspector General established by statute, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, and the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board. (Sec. 4) Authorizes an Inspector General to compare, through a matching program, any federal records with other federal or non-federal records while conducting an audit, inspection, or investigation to identify weaknesses that make a program vulnerable to fraud, waste, or abuse and to detect improper payments and fraud. (Sec. 5) Requires: (1) the head of an establishment to take corrective action in response to any questioned costs, a recommendation that funds be put to better use, significant problems, abuses, or deficiencies identified by the establishment's Inspector General; and (2) such head's report to Congress accompanying each Inspector General's semiannual report to include a description of any such corrective action taken or proposed, a description of any potential cost savings generated by such action, and a certification of any determination that no such action is necessary or appropriate with respect to any such issue, with a detailed explanation of why that is the case. (Sec. 6) Codifies specified provisions concerning the classification and pay of Inspectors General of designated federal entities. Provides that an allegation of wrongdoing against a Special Counsel or Deputy Special Counsel may be received, reviewed, and referred for investigation by the Integrity Committee in the same manner as an allegation against an Inspector General, subject to Special Counsel recusal.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Immigration
Date: 2010-07-22 00:00:00

Sanctuary City Prevention Act of 2010 - Prohibits the Attorney General from expending funds in any lawsuit that seeks to invalidate those provisions of the Arizona Revised Statutes that were amended by Arizona Senate Bill 1070, as amended by Arizona House Bill 2162, until the Attorney General reports to Congress with a plan to enforce the immigration laws in any state or subdivision that has in effect any law, policy, or procedure contravening specified provisions of the Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 that prohibit federal, state, or local government entities or officials, or persons or agencies from restricting certain immigration status-related communications with immigration or law enforcement personnel.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2010-07-28 00:00:00

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Legal Liabilities and Claims Act of 2010 - Prohibits settlement, legal release, or other agreement from extinguishing or limiting liability in a civil action for significant harm arising from a discharge into waters off the shore of the United States of a substance that contaminates a marine or coastal environment or endangers public health, if such settlement, legal release, or agreement is entered into under coercion or duress or is entered into in exchange for any benefit other than a settlement of claims pending. Amends the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 to exclude from class actions under such Act any action brought by a state or one of its subdivisions on behalf of its citizens. Amends the federal judicial code to exclude an action brought by a state or one of its subdivisions on behalf of its citizens from the meaning of a class action or mass action.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2010-07-28 00:00:00

Requires the President to appoint, with the advice and consent of the Senate, one additional district judge for the district of Idaho.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2010-07-30 00:00:00

Stop Deducting Damages Act of 2010 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) deny a tax deduction for any amount paid or incurred for punitive damages in connection with any judgment in, or settlement of, any legal action; and (2) include any amount paid as punitive damages in gross income for income tax purposes.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2010-09-23 00:00:00

Ensuring Justice Along the Southwest Border Act of 2010 - Directs the President to appoint additional district judges for certain judicial districts in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas, including temporary judgeships in Arizona and California. Directs the Attorney General to allocate any amounts appropriated pursuant to this Act for the hiring and training of special assistant U.S. attorneys. Requires such funds to be used to: (1) train local prosecutors in techniques used to prosecute border-related offenses cases; (2) train local prosecutors in federal and state laws relating to border-related offenses; (3) cross-designate local prosecutors as special assistant U.S. attorneys; and (4) hire additional local prosecutors who, with the approval of the U.S. attorney, shall be cross-designated to prosecute both federal and state border-related offenses cases.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2010-12-21 00:00:00

Removal Clarification Act of 2010 - Revises the federal judicial code to provide that a civil action or criminal prosecution that is commenced in a state court and that is against or directed to the United States or a federal agency or officer, or specified others, may be removed to an appropriate U.S. district court. Declares that civil actions and criminal prosecutions include any proceeding (whether or not ancillary to another proceeding) to the extent that in such proceeding a judicial order, including a subpoena for testimony or documents, is sought or issued. Limits removal of such a proceeding, if there is no other basis for removal, to only that specific proceeding, with the remainder of the civil action or criminal proceeding to remain in state court. Declares that the 30-day notice of removal requirement shall be satisfied in any such civil or criminal proceeding in which such a judicial order is sought, or issued, or sought to be enforced, if the person or entity desiring to remove the proceeding files notice of removal not later than 30 days after receiving, through service, notice of the proceeding. Provides that the budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by reference to the latest statement titled "Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation" for this Act, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-01-07 00:00:00

Grants U.S. district courts original jurisdiction over any civil action for damages for personal injury or death that: (1) arose from the deportation of persons to Nazi concentration camps between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1944; and (2) is brought by or on behalf of such person against a railroad that owned or operated the trains on which the persons were deported and that was organized as a separate legal entity.Provides that: (1) no law limiting the jurisdiction of the U.S. courts shall preclude any such action; and (2) no such action shall be barred because a statute of limitations has expired. Makes this Act applicable to any action pending on or commenced after January 1, 2002.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-01-09 00:00:00

Temporary Judgeships and Bankruptcy Judgeships Act of 2010 - Title I: Temporary Judgeships For District Courts - (Sec. 101) Requires the President to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, one additional district judge for the eastern district of California and one additional district judge for the district of Nebraska. Prohibits filling of the first vacancy in the office of district judge in each of the offices of district judge authorized by this Act occurring 10 years or more after the confirmation of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created by this Act. Amends the Judicial Improvements Act of 1990 to extend the temporary judgeships in the district of Hawaii, the district of Kansas, and the northern district of Ohio. Amends the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act to declare that the first vacancy in the office of district judge in the district of Arizona, the central district of California, and the eastern district of Texas authorized by this Act, occurring 20 years or more after the confirmation date of the judge named to fill the temporary district judgeship created in the applicable district by this Act, shall not be filled. Title II: Bankruptcy Judgeships - Bankruptcy Judgeship Act of 2010 - (Sec. 202) Amends the federal judicial code to authorize the appointment of additional permanent bankruptcy judges in various states. (Sec. 203) Converts certain temporary offices of bankruptcy judges to permanent offices in specified states. (Sec. 204) Extends certain temporary offices of bankruptcy judges previously authorized for Pennsylvania and North Carolina. (Sec. 205) Increases bankruptcy filing fees. Reduces the amount of bankruptcy fees to be deposited as offsetting collections to the United States Trustee System Fund.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-01-13 00:00:00

Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2009 - Amends the federal judicial code to establish the Office of Inspector General for the Judicial Branch of the U.S. government, to be headed by an Inspector General appointed by the Chief Justice. Sets a term of four years, which may be extended by additional reappointments. Authorizes the Chief Justice to remove an Inspector General from office. Requires the Office to: (1) conduct investigations of alleged misconduct in the Judicial Branch, including the U.S. Supreme Court; (2) conduct and supervise audits and investigations; and (3) prevent and detect waste, fraud, and abuse. Provides for whistleblower protection.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-02-13 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow attorneys a tax deduction in the current taxable year for reimbursable expenses and court costs which they pay or incur in connection with contingency fee cases.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Taxation
Date: 2009-02-13 00:00:00

Amends the Internal Revenue Code to expand the tax deduction for attorney's fees and courts costs to allow an above-the-line deduction for such fees and costs paid in connection with any legal action involving a civil claim (currently, limited to actions involving unlawful discrimination, the False Claims Act, and Medicare payments).
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-02-13 00:00:00

Requires the Supreme Court to permit television coverage of all open sessions of the Court unless it decides by majority vote that allowing such coverage in a particular case would violate the due process rights of any of the parties involved.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-02-24 00:00:00

False Claims Act Clarification Act of 2009 - Amends False Claims Act liability provisions to eliminate the requirement that a false or fraudulent claim for government money or property must be presented to an officer or employee of the U.S. Government (thus creating liability where a false or fraudulent claim is presented to a contractor or grantee of a federal program). Allows the government, under specified circumstances, to move to dismiss from a civil action for false claims a qui tam relator (i.e., whistleblower) that is an employee of the federal government or an immediate family member of a federal employee. Declares that: (1) no claim for a violation of the False Claims Act may be waived or released by any action of any person, except as part of a court approved settlement of a false claim civil action; and (2) nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the ability of the United States to decline to pursue any claim or to require court approval of a settlement. Requires the dismissal of a civil action for false claims if substantially the same matters in the action were contained in a criminal proceeding or were disclosed in a news media report or public congressional hearing, report, or investigation. Expands the authority of a court to reduce an award under the False Claims Act if the court finds that knowledge of the claims in the civil action came primarily from specific information relating to allegations or transactions (other than information provided by the person bringing the action) that the government publicly disclosed or that the government disclosed privately to the person bringing the action in the course of its investigation into potential violations. Includes government contractors or agents under provisions granting relief from retaliatory actions taken against government employees for lawful acts taken to stop false claim violations. Establishes a 10-year limitation period for bringing a civil action under the False Claims Act. Allows the government to intervene in a civil action by filing its own complaint or amending the complaint of an individual who has brought a claim under the Act. Provides that the filing date of any such complaint or amended complaint shall relate back to the filing date of the complaint brought by the person filing the original complaint, for statute of limitation purposes. Allows: (1) a designee of the Attorney General to issue a civil investigative demand in an action under the False Claims Act; and (2) the sharing of information obtained by a civil investigative demand with any qui tam relator if the Attorney General or designee determines such sharing to be a necessary part of a False Claims Act investigation. Expands the definition of "official use" to facilitate Department of Justice (DOJ) use and sharing of false claim information. Directs the Attorney General to report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees regarding false claims settlements for claims for damages exceeding $100,000.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-03-03 00:00:00

Fairness in Nursing Home Arbitration Act - Provides that a pre-dispute arbitration agreement between a long-term care facility and a resident (or anyone acting on the resident's behalf) shall not be valid or specifically enforceable.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-03-05 00:00:00

Sunshine in Litigation Act of 2009 - Amends the federal judicial code to prohibit a court from entering an order restricting the disclosure of information obtained through discovery, approving a settlement disagreement that would restrict such disclosure, or restricting access to court records in a civil case, unless the court has found that: (1) such order would not restrict the disclosure of information which is relevant to the protection of public health or safety; or (2) the public interest in the disclosure of potential health or safety hazards is outweighed by a specific and substantial interest in maintaining the confidentiality of the information, and the requested protective order is no broader than necessary to protect the privacy interest. Prohibits any party from requesting, as a condition for the production of discovery, that another party stipulate to an order that would violate this Act. Prohibits a court from: (1) approving or enforcing an order prohibited under this Act, or any provision of an agreement between parties to a civil action, that restricts a party from disclosing information to any federal or state agency with authority to enforce laws regulating an activity relating to such information; or (2) enforcing any provision of a settlement agreement that prohibits a party from disclosing that a settlement was reached or the terms of the settlement, other than the amount paid, or from discussing a case or evidence that involves matters related to public health or safety, except where the court finds that the public interest in disclosure of potential health and safety hazards is outweighed by a confidentiality interest. Creates a rebuttable presumption that the interest in protecting personally identifiable information relating to an individual's financial, health, or other similar information outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Declares that nothing in this Act shall be construed to permit, require, or authorize the disclosure of classified information, as defined under the Classified Information Procedures Act.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Foreign trade and international finance
Date: 2009-03-12 00:00:00

Makes unenforceable by a federal or state agency, department, or court any judgment of a foreign court or agency under a certain kind of foreign statute that requires a U.S. plaintiff (or affiliate) to pay damages to a foreign defendant. Describes such a foreign statute as one that has the effect of nullifying all or part of a final judgment of a U.S. court under the Antidumping Act of 1916 by enabling a foreign defendant that has paid damages pursuant to such judgment to recover any portion of them from the U.S. plaintiff (or affiliate). Authorizes a U.S. plaintiff (or affiliate) held liable, or required to forfeit or pay damages, pursuant to a foreign judgment to file a civil action for the amount of such damages (plus interest and costs) against the foreign defendant that obtained damages pursuant to the foreign judgment.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-03-16 00:00:00

Frivolous Lawsuit Prevention Act of 2009 - Amends rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to change from discretionary to mandatory the authority of a court to impose sanctions for any representations in a pleading, written motion, or other paper that violate the Rule. Revises the requirements for such sanctions. Allows monetary sanctions to be awarded against a party's attorneys.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-03-18 00:00:00

Statutory Time-Periods Technical Amendments Act of 2009 - Amends federal bankruptcy, criminal, and civil law, as well as the Classified Information Procedures Act and the Controlled Substances Act, to extend from 5 to 7 days, and from 10 to 14 days, counting holidays and weekends, specified deadlines affecting court proceedings to harmonize them with recent amendments to the federal time-computation rules intended to provide predictability and uniformity to the current process of calculating court deadlines.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-03-19 00:00:00

Sunshine in the Courtroom Act of 2009 - Authorizes the presiding judge of a U.S. appellate court or U.S. district court to permit the photographing, electronic recording, broadcasting, or televising to the public of court proceedings over which that judge presides, except when such action would constitute a violation of the due process rights of any party. Directs: (1) a district court, upon the request of any witness in a trial proceeding other than a party, to order the face and voice of the witness to be disguised or otherwise obscured to render the witness unrecognizable to the broadcast audience of the trial proceeding; and (2) the presiding judge in a trial proceeding to inform each witness who is not a party of the right to make such request. Authorizes the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate advisory guidelines to which a presiding judge may refer in making decisions regarding the management and administration of photographing, recording, broadcasting, or televising described in this Act. Requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to promulgate mandatory guidelines which a presiding judge must follow for obscuring certain vulnerable witnesses. Prohibits broadcast of conferences between attorneys and clients.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Armed forces and national security
Date: 2009-03-23 00:00:00

Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act - Prohibits, in any case arising out of the administration of laws and benefits by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA), considering any person who is mentally incapacitated, deemed mentally incompetent, or experiencing an extended loss of consciousness from being considered adjudicated as a mental defective for purposes of the right to receive or transport firearms without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person is a danger to himself or herself or others.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-05-20 00:00:00

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Judicial Survivors Protection Act of 2009 - Authorizes a six-month open enrollment period starting 30 days after enactment of this Act for an eligible federal judicial officer to opt into the Judicial Survivors' Annuities System and begin contributing toward an annuity for his or her surviving spouse and dependent children. Allows judicial officers enrolled in the System before or after enactment of this Act to purchase, in three-month increments, up to an additional year of service credit for each year of federal judicial service completed.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-06-23 00:00:00

State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act - Directs the Administrator of the Office of Justice Programs of the Department of Justice to: (1) make grants to state courts to develop and implement programs to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access and understand state court proceedings in which they are a party; and (2) allocate specified funds to establish a court interpreter technical assistance program to assist state courts receiving grants under this Act. Authorizes the use of grant awards by state courts to: (1) assess regional language demands; (2) develop a court interpreter program; (3) develop, institute, and administer language certification examinations; (4) recruit, train, and certify qualified court interpreters; and (5) pay for salaries, transportation, and technology necessary to implement the court interpreter program.
Topic: Law and Crime — Court Administration
Subject: Law
Date: 2009-07-22 00:00:00

Notice Pleading Restoration Act of 2009 - Prohibits a federal court from dismissing a complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, or because it is so vague or ambiguous that a party cannot reasonably be required to frame a responsive pleading, except under the standards set forth by the Supreme Court in Conley v. Gibson (thus restoring the system of notice pleading previously used).