 In federal courts, debate has focused on the scope of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 11, which sanctions attorneys in some situations for making frivolous filings.Opponents argue that such rules would have had a chilling effect on civil rights litigation.Proposals to limit frivolous lawsuits have been criticized on the grounds that the restrictions could be used to impede individuals attempting to enforce civil rights laws, according to "The Federal Judicial Center's Study of Rule 11."