Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA)

The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) is a U.S. law enacted in 1996 aimed at reducing the number of lawsuits filed by prisoners. It requires inmates to exhaust all administrative remedies before bringing a lawsuit, stipulates that courts can dismiss cases that are deemed frivolous, and limits the monetary damages prisoners can seek for certain claims. The law also imposes stricter requirements on legal fees for attorneys representing inmates. Overall, the PLRA aims to decrease unwarranted legal challenges while still ensuring that prisoners can address legitimate grievances about their treatment or conditions.