<div class="xtend">
         <div class="xtend_ce"><a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A bill for an act<br />
            		
         </div><a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>relating to civil actions; providing a factor for determining the amount of attorney <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>fees awarded in certain actions;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>Statutes, chapter 549.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br />
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         		<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section 1. <b>[549.255] ATTORNEY FEES AWARDS.</b><br />
         		<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subdivision 1. <b>Reasonable relation of fees to damages.</b> When a statute provides <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>for the award of attorney fees to a party that has recovered money damages, the court, <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>in setting the amount of attorney fees, must, in addition to other factors, take into <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>consideration the reasonableness of the attorney fees sought in relation to the amount of <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>damages awarded to the prevailing party and the relation between the amount of damages <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>sought and the amount of damages awarded.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 2. <b>Offer of judgment.</b> If an offer of judgment is made by a party under Rule <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>68 of the Rules of Civil Procedure to a party who claims money damages pursuant, in <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>whole or in part, to a statute that provides for the award of attorney fees, and the party <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>claiming attorney fees does not obtain a verdict in excess of the offer, exclusive of attorney <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>fees, no attorney fees may be awarded for fees incurred after service of the offer of <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>judgment. The party that rejects an offer of judgment must disclose the amount of attorney <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>fees it has incurred as of the date of the service of the offer of judgment within the time <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>period provided by Rule 68 for the acceptance of an offer of judgment.<br />
         		<br />
         		<a id="bill.0.2.0"></a><a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sec. 2. <b>EFFECTIVE DATE.</b><br />
         		<a id="pl.1.22"></a><var>1.22</var>Section 1 is effective August 1, 2012, and applies to actions commenced on or <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.23"></a><var>1.23</var>after that date.<br />
         		
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