18 U.S.C. § 2712: Civil actions against the…

Summary

If someone is harmed by an intentional violation of this law or certain parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, that person can sue the United States in federal court to get money. If the person proves the violation, the court can award actual money losses, but at least $10,000, and it can also make the government pay reasonable legal costs. Before suing, the person must file a written claim with the right federal agency using the Federal Tort Claims Act rules. The claim must be filed within 2 years after the person could reasonably first discover the violation. If the agency denies the claim, the lawsuit must start within 6 months after the agency mails the final denial by certified or registered mail. The case is decided by a judge, not a jury. Reviews of material covered by the FISA parts follow FISA’s own procedures. If the agency is found to have violated the law and there are serious questions about an employee acting on purpose, the agency must start a discipline review and tell the Inspector General if it decides not to discipline. The government can ask the court to pause the case if civil discovery would harm a related investigation or prosecution; that pause stops the deadline clocks.

Title 18, §2712

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In General.—

Any person who is aggrieved by any willful violation of this chapter or of chapter 119 of this title or of section 106(a), 305(a), or 405(a) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) may commence an action in United States District Court against the United States to recover money damages. In any such action, if a person who is aggrieved successfully establishes such a violation of this chapter or of chapter 119 of this title or of the above specific provisions of title 50, the Court may assess as damages—

(1)actual damages, but not less than $10,000, whichever amount is greater; and

(2)litigation costs, reasonably incurred.

(b)Procedures.—

(1)Any action against the United States under this section may be commenced only after a claim is presented to the appropriate department or agency under the procedures of the Federal Tort Claims Act, as set forth in title 28, United States Code.

(2)Any action against the United States under this section shall be forever barred unless it is presented in writing to the appropriate Federal agency within 2 years after such claim accrues or unless action is begun within 6 months after the date of mailing, by certified or registered mail, of notice of final denial of the claim by the agency to which it was presented. The claim shall accrue on the date upon which the claimant first has a reasonable opportunity to discover the violation.

(3)Any action under this section shall be tried to the court without a jury.

(4)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the procedures set forth in section 106(f), 305(g), or 405(f) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) shall be the exclusive means by which materials governed by those sections may be reviewed.

(5)An amount equal to any award against the United States under this section shall be reimbursed by the department or agency concerned to the fund described in section 1304 of title 31, United States Code, out of any appropriation, fund, or other account (excluding any part of such appropriation, fund, or account that is available for the enforcement of any Federal law) that is available for the operating expenses of the department or agency concerned.

(c)Administrative Discipline.—

If a court or appropriate department or agency determines that the United States or any of its departments or agencies has violated any provision of this chapter, and the court or appropriate department or agency finds that the circumstances surrounding the violation raise serious questions about whether or not an officer or employee of the United States acted willfully or intentionally with respect to the violation, the department or agency shall, upon receipt of a true and correct copy of the decision and findings of the court or appropriate department or agency promptly initiate a proceeding to determine whether disciplinary action against the officer or employee is warranted. If the head of the department or agency involved determines that disciplinary action is not warranted, he or she shall notify the Inspector General with jurisdiction over the department or agency concerned and shall provide the Inspector General with the reasons for such determination.

(d)Exclusive Remedy.—

Any action against the United States under this subsection shall be the exclusive remedy against the United States for any claims within the purview of this section.

(e)Stay of Proceedings.—

(1)Upon the motion of the United States, the court shall stay any action commenced under this section if the court determines that civil discovery will adversely affect the ability of the Government to conduct a related investigation or the prosecution of a related criminal case. Such a stay shall toll the limitations periods of paragraph (2) of subsection (b).

(2)In this subsection, the terms “related criminal case” and “related investigation” mean an actual prosecution or investigation in progress at the time at which the request for the stay or any subsequent motion to lift the stay is made. In determining whether an investigation or a criminal case is related to an action commenced under this section, the court shall consider the degree of similarity between the parties, witnesses, facts, and circumstances involved in the 2 proceedings, without requiring that any one or more factors be identical.

(3)In requesting a stay under paragraph (1), the Government may, in appropriate cases, submit evidence ex parte in order to avoid disclosing any matter that may adversely affect a related investigation or a related criminal case. If the Government makes such an ex parte submission, the plaintiff shall be given an opportunity to make a submission to the court, not ex parte, and the court may, in its discretion, request further information from either party.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 106, 305, and 405 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, referred to in subsecs. (a) and (b)(4), are classified to section 1806, 1825, and 1845, respectively, of Title 50, War and National Defense. The Federal Tort Claims Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), is title IV of act Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 753, 60 Stat. 842, which was classified principally to chapter 20 (§§ 921, 922, 931–934, 941–946) of former Title 28, Judicial Code and Judiciary. Title IV of act Aug. 2, 1946, was substantially repealed and reenacted as section 1346(b) and 2671 et seq. of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure, by act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 992, the first section of which enacted Title 28. The Federal Tort Claims Act is also commonly used to refer to chapter 171 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure. For complete classification of title IV to the Code, see Tables. For distribution of former sections of Title 28 into the revised Title 28, see Table at the beginning of Title 28.

§2712 Civil Actions Against the United States

Summary

Title 18, §2712

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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