28 USC § 1927 - Counsel’s liability for excessive costs

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t28/s1927"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "28 USC § 1927 - Counsel’s liability for excessive costs"
title_number: 28
title_name: "JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1927"
section_name: "Counsel’s liability for excessive costs"
chapter_number: 123
chapter_name: "FEES AND COSTS"
part_number: "V"
part_name: "PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 957; Pub. L. 96–349, § 3, Sept. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 1156.)"
---


# § 1927. Counsel’s liability for excessive costs

Any attorney or other person admitted to conduct cases in any court of the United States or any Territory thereof who so multiplies the proceedings in any case unreasonably and vexatiously may be required by the court to satisfy personally the excess costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees reasonably incurred because of such conduct.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 957; Pub. L. 96–349, § 3, Sept. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 1156.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 829 (R.S. § 982).

Word “personally” was inserted upon authority of ., 1912, 201 F. 63, 119 C.C.A. 401. Reference to “proctor” was omitted as covered by the revised section.

See definition of “court of the United States” in .

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1980— substituted judicial authorization to require attorneys to satisfy excess costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees reasonably incurred because of multiplication of proceedings for such prior authority to impose liability for increased costs based on multiplication of proceedings.