Title 47Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73

§411 Joinder of parties

Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - PROCEDURAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › § 411

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Allows adding other people who are affected by a complaint against a carrier into any enforcement case. Those people can be investigated and have orders or rulings made about them just like the carrier can. If the Commission makes one money award to several people, they can join together as plaintiffs and sue all the carriers named in that award as defendants. They can bring the lawsuit in any federal district where at least one plaintiff could sue at least one defendant. A carrier not found in that district can be served where its main operating office is. If someone wins, the court can enter judgment for any one of the plaintiffs against the carrier found responsible.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §411

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In any proceeding for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter, whether such proceeding be instituted before the Commission or be begun originally in any district court of the United States, it shall be lawful to include as parties, in addition to the carrier, all persons interested in or affected by the charge, regulation, or practice under consideration, and inquiries, investigations, orders, and decrees may be made with reference to and against such additional parties in the same manner, to the same extent, and subject to the same provisions as are or shall be authorized by law with respect to carriers.
(b)In any suit for the enforcement of an order for the payment of money all parties in whose favor the Commission may have made an award for damages by a single order may be joined as plaintiffs, and all of the carriers parties to such order awarding such damages may be joined as defendants, and such suit may be maintained by such joint plaintiffs and against such joint defendants in any district where any one of such joint plaintiffs could maintain such suit against any one of such joint defendants; and service of process against any one of such defendants as may not be found in the district where the suit is brought may be made in any district where such defendant carrier has its principal operating office. In case of such joint suit, the recovery, if any, may be by judgment in favor of any one of such plaintiffs, against the defendant found to be liable to such plaintiff.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 411

Title 47Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73