Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act of 2023

This bill amends federal law to increase transparency and oversight of third-party litigation funding by foreign persons, and prohibits such funding by foreign states and sovereign wealth funds. It requires disclosure of foreign funders in civil cases and mandates annual reports to Congress on foreign litigation funding activities.

Sec. 2, Transparency and limitations on foreign third-party litigation funding: This section adds a new section to federal law requiring parties or their counsel in any civil action to disclose to the court, other parties, the Attorney General, and the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for National Security the name, address, and citizenship or country of incorporation of any foreign person, foreign state, or sovereign wealth fund that has a contingent right to payment from the case. They must also produce copies of relevant agreements and submit a certification about the source of money used to satisfy the agreement. Disclosures must be made within 30 days of the agreement or case filing, and later-joined parties have 30 days to comply. The section also prohibits any agreement where payment is contingent on case outcome and sourced from a foreign state or sovereign wealth fund; such agreements are null and void. Failure to disclose is subject to federal civil procedure sanctions.

Sec. 3, Report to Congress: The Attorney General must submit an annual report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on foreign third-party litigation funding in federal courts, including identities of funders and sources, judicial districts involved, estimated total foreign-sourced money by country, and a summary of case subject matters.

Sec. 4, Applicability: The amendments apply to any civil action pending on or started on or after the bill's enactment date.