The Oklahoma Legislature accidentally created an immense shift in legal policy that could halt many civil lawsuits before they start.

Civil law across the nation generally lets people file lawsuits without the specter of paying the other side's legal fees if they lose. The new Oklahoma law forces courts to award reasonable attorney fees and court costs to the winner in virtually all civil actions including contracts, lawsuits filed by crime victims, parental disputes and contractual liability that is implied but not written.

Essentially, according to the law, the loser pays.

House Bill 1470 was conceived as a measure to extend the time limit that childhood sexual abuse victims can sue their abusers, but the attorney fee amendment was added last month during the committee stage.