An Act relative to controlling and abusive litigation

This bill creates a new legal framework in Massachusetts to address controlling and abusive litigation, specifically targeting cases involving current or former family members where one party has a history of abuse or harassment. It defines abusive litigation as legal actions initiated primarily to harass or intimidate, characterized by claims lacking legal or evidentiary support, or issues previously lost in other courts. The legislation empowers judges to issue orders that restrict a perpetrator from filing, serving, or continuing such lawsuits, effectively barring them from using the court system to maintain contact with their victim.