---
type: "LegalText"
title: "42 U.S.C. § 2000b–3"
description: "“Complaint” defined"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 42
title_name: "THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE"
chapter_number: "21"
chapter_name: "CIVIL RIGHTS"
section: "2000b–3"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 2000b–3"
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_usc42@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t42/s2000b–3"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-42/usc42.xml"
source_hash: "c4b5a1296db7b28b669b0a859d6d0c151aa0dee598a7ee22d225327c1af0d337"
raw_snapshot_hash: "644321055a08eb1f260a6a3e31ac157fa024756abf612a9fd6857e7e400cf24e"
text_hash: "58bb2f8d18829b3015a66afc3daf3bb12fc92cd956336a73c9015bc4a21ec0cc"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 42 U.S.C. § 2000b–3 - “Complaint” defined

## Text

A complaint as used in this subchapter is a writing or document within the meaning of section 1001, title 18.

(Pub. L. 88–352, title III, § 304, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 246.)