Use this exception handle for your Laravel 5 based JSON APIs. It serves properly formatted JSON responses instead of the default Laravel HTML error pages.

LaravelExceptionHandler.php

<?php
/**
 *  LaravelExceptionHandler.php
 * 
 *  Use this exception handle for your Laravel 5 based JSON APIs. 
 *  It serves properly formatted JSON responses instead of the default Laravel HTML error pages. 
 * 
 *  <https://gist.github.com/tannernelson/cb2d981a3cfeabd425b8>
 */

public function render($request, Exception $e)
{
    //return parent::render($request, $e);

    if($e instanceof HttpException) {
        $message = $e->getMessage();
        $code = $e->getStatusCode();

        if ($message == '') {
            switch($code) {
                case 401:
                    $message = 'Invalid authorization';
                    break;
                case 403:
                    $message = 'Insufficient authorization';
                    break;
                case 404:
                    $message = 'Resource not found';
                    break;
                case 405:
                    $message = 'Method ' . $request->method() . ' is not supported on this route';
                    break;
                case 503:
                    $message = 'Be right back';
                    break;  
                default:
                    $message = 'Something went wrong';
            }
        }

        return response()->json([
            'message' => $message,
            'error' => true
        ], $code);
    } else {
        $response = [
            'message' => 'Something went wrong',
            'error' => true,
        ];

        if (debug()) {
            $response['debug'] = [
                'message' => $e->getMessage(),
                'line' => $e->getLine(),
                'file' => $e->getFile()
            ];
        }

        return response()->json($response, 500);
    }
}