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Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-110

§6107 Enforcement of Orders

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Federal Trade Commission can seek criminal contempt charges when someone breaks an FTC order that came from a case started under section 53(b). It can only do that after the Attorney General names an FTC lawyer to serve as a special assistant U.S. attorney. The Attorney General can appoint that person when the FTC or the court asks, or on the Attorney General’s own, and must act within 45 days of a request. The FTC’s power to bring those criminal contempt cases ends 2 years after the first rules under section 6102 are issued, but any case started before that date can continue.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §6107

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General authority
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)Appointment
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)Request for appointment
(1)Appointment upon request or motion
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)Timing
The Attorney General shall act upon any request made under paragraph (1) within 45 days of the receipt of the request.
(d)Termination of authority
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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110