S 1205 Massachusetts Senate · 194th Legislature (2025-2026)

An Act relative to controlling and abusive litigation

SD 94 creates new legal protections for victims of abuse in family or household disputes by defining and addressing "controlling and abusive litigation." It allows courts to issue restraining orders against parties who file lawsuits primarily to harass, intimidate, or maintain contact with an abuse victim - after verifying the parties' relationship and prior abuse findings. If found guilty, the court can dismiss the case with prejudice, award the victim court costs and attorney fees, and impose 48-72 months of prefiling restrictions on the offending party. This bill directly affects individuals in domestic disputes where lawsuits are weaponized as tools of abuse, not the broader public.
Bill status passed 3 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Governor
Introduced Feb 27, 2025 Last action Jul 13, 2026
Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House. No roll call record of that vote is available.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
8
Key actions
1
Committee
1
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
House concurred
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to the committee on The Judiciary
upper
1 primary · 21 co-sponsors

Sponsors