republic-os/legal/us/code/title-15/chapter-87/section-6103.md

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LegalText	15 U.S.C. § 6103	Actions by States	us	united_states_code	code_section	15	COMMERCE AND TRADE	87	TELEMARKETING AND CONSUMER FRAUD AND ABUSE PREVENTION	6103	15 U.S.C. § 6103	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc15@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t15/s6103	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-15/usc15.xml	64f41beb2d0d55bda13b9c23de3666588b980ee86b319fcaba23c0d8a9043b87	6982338d990ef19d6b52bff6825089bdd6d0ee1233d9382673faf533decd5059	53b574d37e1822ab0ad63fd2ad52a084495793397c4e3f3f286c59ccdc8cda84	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

15 U.S.C. § 6103 - Actions by States

Text

(a) In general Whenever an attorney general of any State has reason to believe that the interests of the residents of that State have been or are being threatened or adversely affected because any person has engaged or is engaging in a pattern or practice of telemarketing which violates any rule of the Commission under section 6102 of this title, the State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of its residents in an appropriate district court of the United States to enjoin such telemarketing, to enforce compliance with such rule of the Commission, to obtain damages, restitution, or other compensation on behalf of residents of such State, or to obtain such further and other relief as the court may deem appropriate.

(b) Notice The State shall serve prior written notice of any civil action under subsection (a) or (f)(2) upon the Commission and provide the Commission with a copy of its complaint, except that if it is not feasible for the State to provide such prior notice, the State shall serve such notice immediately upon instituting such action. Upon receiving a notice respecting a civil action, the Commission shall have the right (1) to intervene in such action, (2) upon so intervening, to be heard on all matters arising therein, and (3) to file petitions for appeal.

(c) Construction For purposes of bringing any civil action under subsection (a), nothing in this chapter shall prevent an attorney general from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of such State to conduct investigations or to administer oaths or affirmations or to compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.

(d) Actions by Commission or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection Whenever a civil action has been instituted by or on behalf of the Commission or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection for violation of any rule prescribed under section 6102 of this title, no State may, during the pendency of such action instituted by or on behalf of the Commission or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, institute a civil action under subsection (a) or (f)(2) against any defendant named in the complaint in such action for violation of any rule as alleged in such complaint.

(e) Venue; service of process Any civil action brought under subsection (a) in a district court of the United States may be brought in the district in which the defendant is found, is an inhabitant, or transacts business or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28. Process in such an action may be served in any district in which the defendant is an inhabitant or in which the defendant may be found.

(f) Actions by other State officials (1) Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit an authorized State official from proceeding in State court on the basis of an alleged violation of any civil or criminal statute of such State.

(2) In addition to actions brought by an attorney general of a State under subsection (a), such an action may be brought by officers of such State who are authorized by the State to bring actions in such State on behalf of its residents.

(Pub. L. 103–297, § 4, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1548; Pub. L. 111–203, title X, § 1100C(b), July 21, 2010, 124 Stat. 2111.)

Notes

Editorial Notes

References in TextThis chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 103–297, Aug. 16, 1994, 108 Stat. 1545, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 6101 of this title and Tables.

Amendments2010—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–203 inserted “or the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection” after “Commission” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2010 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the designated transfer date, see section 1100H of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 552a of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.