This bill addresses attorney fees.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah law currently allows courts to order a losing party to pay the winning party's attorney fees in certain situations, such as when a lawsuit is filed or defended in "bad faith," or when a party unreasonably pursues a second trial after arbitration in cases like dog bite claims or uninsured/underinsured motorist disputes. This bill would replace the "bad faith" standard in these areas with a new test: courts could award attorney fees only if they find that a party acted to harass, cause unreasonable delay, needlessly increase litigation costs, or abuse the judicial process. The same revised standard would apply across multiple parts of Utah law governing civil lawsuits, motor vehicle accident arbitration, dog attack claims, and other related disputes, replacing the previous reliance on a separately defined "bad faith" standard with this more specific list of prohibited conduct.
Current version: HB0307S01 (Substitute)
Introduction
Jan 22
House Rules
House Committee
Feb 5
House Floor Vote
Feb 17
Senate Rules
Feb 18
Senate Committee
Feb 24
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 25
Senate 3rd Reading
Mar 2
Governor Signed
Mar 23
IntroductionJan 22
House Rules
House CommitteeFeb 5
House Floor VoteFeb 17
Senate RulesFeb 18
Senate CommitteeFeb 24
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 25
Senate 3rd ReadingMar 2
Governor SignedMar 23
This bill addresses attorney fees.
This bill:
AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.
Utah law currently allows courts to order a losing party to pay the winning party's attorney fees in certain situations, such as when a lawsuit is filed or defended in "bad faith," or when a party unreasonably pursues a second trial after arbitration in cases like dog bite claims or uninsured/underinsured motorist disputes. This bill would replace the "bad faith" standard in these areas with a new test: courts could award attorney fees only if they find that a party acted to harass, cause unreasonable delay, needlessly increase litigation costs, or abuse the judicial process. The same revised standard would apply across multiple parts of Utah law governing civil lawsuits, motor vehicle accident arbitration, dog attack claims, and other related disputes, replacing the previous reliance on a separately defined "bad faith" standard with this more specific list of prohibited conduct.
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
House/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
House/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Clerk of the House
House/ enrolled bill to Printing
Clerk of the House
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Clerk of the House
Last updated Aug 29, 2026, 5:26 PM