Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2024”.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2024
A BILL
To amend the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 to make technical corrections.
Sec. 2 Technical corrections to the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022
Section 804 of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 (28 U.S.C. 2671 note) is amended—
in subsection (b), by striking “in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina”;
in subsection (c)—
by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:
“(1) In general—The party filing an action under this section shall be entitled to appropriate relief upon showing—
“(A) the existence of one or more relationships between the water at Camp Lejeune and the type of harm suffered by the individual; and
“(B) that the individual was present at Camp Lejeune for a period of not less than 30 days (whether or not consecutive).”
in paragraph (2), by striking “the water at Camp Lejeune and the harm” and inserting “any water at Camp Lejeune and the type of harm”;
by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:
“(d) Exclusive jurisdiction and venue—The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina shall have exclusive jurisdiction and venue for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings and resolution over any action filed under subsection (b), and a party filing the action may transfer such action to any United States district court situated within the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit for trial of such action. Any action against the United States under subsection (b) shall, at the request of either party to such action, be tried by the court with a jury. The court shall advance an action filed under subsection (b) on the docket, and expedite the disposition of such action to the greatest extent possible.”
in subsection (e)(1), by striking “latent disease” and inserting “latent harm”;
in subsection (j)(1), by striking “before the date of enactment of this Act” and inserting “before, on, or after the date of enactment of this Act”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(k) Attorney fees
“(1) In general—The total amount of attorneys fees under this section shall be in an amount that is equal to—
“(A) 20 percent of any settlement entered into before a civil action under subsection (b) is commenced; or
“(B) 25 percent of any judgement rendered or settlement entered into after a civil action under subsection (b) is commenced.
“(2) Division of fees—A division of a fee under paragraph (1) between attorneys who are not in the same firm may be made only if the division is in proportion to the services performed by each attorney.”