Editing Barratry (common law) (section)

===United States===
Several jurisdictions in the United States have declared barratry (in the sense of a frivolous or harassing litigant) to be a [[crime]] as part of their [[tort reform]] efforts. For example, in the [[U.S. state]]s of [[California]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Virginia]], and [[Washington (state)|Washington]], barratry is a [[misdemeanor]].<ref>''People v. Sanford'', 202 Cal. App. 3d Supp. 1 (1988); 18 Pa.C.S. 5109.  [http://online.ceb.com/calcases/CA3/202CA3dS1.htm]</ref><ref>Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 550-551.</ref> In [[Texas]], barratry is a misdemeanor on the first conviction, but a [[felony]] on subsequent convictions.<ref>Texas Penal Code section 38.12</ref>

* California Penal Code Section 158: "Common barratry is the practice of exciting groundless judicial proceedings, and is punishable by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months and by fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000)."
* California Penal Code Section 159: "No person can be convicted of common barratry except upon proof that he has excited suits or proceedings at law in at least three instances, and with a corrupt or malicious intent to vex and annoy."
* Revised Code of Washington 9.12.010: "Every person who brings on his or her own behalf, or instigates, incites, or encourages another to bring, any false suit at law or in equity in any court of this state, with intent thereby to distress or harass a defendant in the suit, or who serves or sends any paper or document purporting to be or resembling a judicial process, that is not in fact a judicial process, is guilty of a misdemeanor; and in case the person offending is an attorney, he or she may, in addition thereto be [[disbarment|disbarred]] from practicing law within this state."<ref name="rcw">[http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.12.010 RCW 9.12.010 Barratry], Revised Code of Washington. Accessed 2012-3-3.</ref>
* Virginia laws on barratry, [[champerty and maintenance|champerty, and maintenance]] were overturned by the Supreme Court of the United States in ''[[NAACP v. Button]]'' 371 U.S. 415 (1963).
* Vermont Statutes [https://codes.findlaw.com/vt/title-13-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/vt-st-tit-13-sect-701.html Title 13, § 701]: "A person who is a common barrator shall be fined not more than $50.00 and become bound with sufficient surety for his or her good behavior for not less than one year."