Title 1, General ProvisionsRelease 119-102

§109 Repeal of Statutes as Affecting Existing Liabilities

Title 1 › CHAPTER 2 — ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS; FORMALITIES OF ENACTMENT; REPEALS; SEALING OF INSTRUMENTS › § 109

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Repealing a law does not cancel penalties, fines, loss of property, or other legal responsibilities that already came from that law. The repeal must clearly say it cancels those things for them to go away. Until then, the old law can still be used to start or keep legal actions to enforce those penalties. The same rule applies when a temporary law ends. Its ending does not cancel penalties or liabilities already incurred unless the temporary law says so. The expired law still counts for enforcing those penalties.

Full Legal Text

Title 1, §109

General Provisions, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The repeal of any statute shall not have the effect to release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under such statute, unless the repealing Act shall so expressly provide, and such statute shall be treated as still remaining in force for the purpose of sustaining any proper action or prosecution for the enforcement of such penalty, forfeiture, or liability. The expiration of a temporary statute shall not have the effect to release or extinguish any penalty, forfeiture, or liability incurred under such statute, unless the temporary statute shall so expressly provide, and such statute shall be treated as still remaining in force for the purpose of sustaining any proper action or prosecution for the enforcement of such penalty, forfeiture, or liability.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

1 U.S.C. § 109

Title 1, General Provisions

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102