---
type: "LegalText"
title: "15 U.S.C. § 15e"
description: "Distribution of damages"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
chapter_number: "1"
chapter_name: "MONOPOLIES AND COMBINATIONS IN RESTRAINT OF TRADE"
section: "15e"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 15e"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc15@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s15e"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-15/usc15.xml"
source_hash: "1150d2aa895b6cfe18c4814df6f6095e0de0f93b0983dcf8cefd95c15e8512d8"
raw_snapshot_hash: "6982338d990ef19d6b52bff6825089bdd6d0ee1233d9382673faf533decd5059"
text_hash: "703f57f3c90c602094a4a14fa9c4d492186ef6e7987d77208961ce1d32cb1d92"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 15 U.S.C. § 15e - Distribution of damages

## Text

Monetary relief recovered in an action under section 15c(a)(1) of this title shall—

(1) be distributed in such manner as the district court in its discretion may authorize; or

(2) be deemed a civil penalty by the court and deposited with the State as general revenues;

subject in either case to the requirement that any distribution procedure adopted afford each person a reasonable opportunity to secure his appropriate portion of the net monetary relief.

(Oct. 15, 1914, ch. 323, § 4E, as added Pub. L. 94–435, title III, § 301, Sept. 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 1395.)

## Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateInjuries sustained prior to Sept. 30, 1976, not covered by this section, see section 304 of Pub. L. 94–435, set out as a note under section 15c of this title.