Title 15 — Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§6107 Enforcement of orders

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 87— - TELEMARKETING AND CONSUMER FRAUD AND ABUSE PREVENTION › § 6107

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Federal Trade Commission can bring a criminal contempt case when someone violates an order the Commission got in a case under section 53(b). Before it can start that case, the Attorney General must appoint an FTC lawyer to act as a special assistant U.S. Attorney. The FTC, the court that issued the order, or the Attorney General can ask for that appointment, and the Attorney General must decide within 45 days after getting the request. That power to start criminal contempt cases ends 2 years after the rules under section 6102 are first created. If a case is started before that date, it can continue.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §6107

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Federal Trade Commission may bring a criminal contempt action for violations of orders of the Commission obtained in cases brought under section 53(b) of this title.

(b)An action authorized by subsection (a) may be brought by the Federal Trade Commission only after, and pursuant to, the appointment by the Attorney General of an attorney employed by the Commission, as a special assistant United States Attorney.

(c)(1)A special assistant United States Attorney may be appointed under subsection (b) upon the request of the Federal Trade Commission or the court which has entered the order for which contempt is sought or upon the Attorney General’s own motion.

(2)The Attorney General shall act upon any request made under paragraph (1) within 45 days of the receipt of the request.

(d)The authority of the Federal Trade Commission to bring a criminal contempt action under subsection (a) expires 2 years after the date of the first promulgation of rules under section 6102 of this title. The expiration of such authority shall have no effect on an action brought before the expiration date.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 6107

Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73