H 4474 General Bill, By J.J. Snow, Law and Riser
 A Bill to amend the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, by adding Section
 15-37-25 so as to provide that attorneys' fees and costs shall be taxed
 against a nonprevailing party bringing a civil action seeking damages for
 injuries he sustained during the commission of a crime for which he was
 convicted or to which he pled guilty or nolo contendere and to provide that
 any person referred to above who has not paid such attorneys' fees and costs
 is prohibited from bringing any further actions in the courts of this State
 arising out of that incident or occurrence.

   01/12/94  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-15
   01/12/94  House  Referred to Committee on Judiciary HJ-16

A BILL

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 15-37-25 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COSTS SHALL BE TAXED AGAINST A NONPREVAILING PARTY BRINGING A CIVIL ACTION SEEKING DAMAGES FOR INJURIES HE SUSTAINED DURING THE COMMISSION OF A CRIME FOR WHICH HE WAS CONVICTED OR TO WHICH HE PLED GUILTY OR NOLO CONTENDRE AND TO PROVIDE THAT ANY PERSON REFERRED TO ABOVE WHO HAS NOT PAID SUCH ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COSTS IS PROHIBITED FROM BRINGING ANY FURTHER ACTIONS IN THE COURTS OF THIS STATE ARISING OUT OF THAT INCIDENT OR OCCURRENCE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 15-37-25. (A) Any person bringing a civil action seeking damages for injuries he sustained during the commission of a crime for which he was convicted or to which he pled guilty or nolo contendre must pay the attorneys' fees and costs of the prevailing party in an amount determined by the court if he is the nonprevailing party.

(B) Any person against whom attorneys' fees and costs have been taxed pursuant to subsection (A) who has not paid such fees and costs is prohibited from bringing any further actions in the courts of this State arising out of that incident or occurrence."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.