(a) A person who provides information or assistance under Section 555.002(c) and who is named as a defendant in a civil action filed as a result of the information or assistance may file a counterclaim in a pending action or may prove a cause of action in a subsequent suit to recover defense costs, including court costs, attorney’s fees, and damages incurred as a result of the civil action, if the plaintiff‘s original suit is determined to be frivolous, unreasonable, without foundation, or brought in bad faith.
(b) A board employee or member or an agent of the board who is named as a defendant in a civil action filed as a result of an action taken in the person’s official capacity or in the course and scope of employment may file a counterclaim in a pending action or may prove a cause of action in a subsequent suit to recover defense costs, including court costs, attorney’s fees, and damages incurred as a result of the civil action, if the plaintiff’s original suit is determined to be frivolous, unreasonable, without foundation, or brought in bad faith.

Terms Used In Texas Occupations Code 555.012

  • Counterclaim: A claim that a defendant makes against a plaintiff.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
  • Plaintiff: The person who files the complaint in a civil lawsuit.