Title 31 — Money and FinanceRelease 119-73not60

§3804 Subpoena Authority

Title 31 › Subtitle SUBTITLE III— FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT › Chapter 38— ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES FOR FALSE CLAIMS AND STATEMENTS › § 3804

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Investigators can issue a legal order (a subpoena) to make people or organizations hand over information, records, or other evidence that they can’t get easily some other way. The person running a hearing can also swear in witnesses and use subpoenas to make people testify or give documents that matter to the hearing. If someone refuses a subpoena, a federal district court can force them to comply and punish contempt. The investigating authority must ask the Attorney General to ask a federal court where the hearing is held, or where the person lives or works, to issue that enforcement order.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §3804

Money and Finance — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For the purposes of an investigation under section 3803(a)(1) of this title, an investigating official is authorized to require by subpoena the production of all information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and data not otherwise reasonably available to the authority.

(b)For the purposes of conducting a hearing under section 3803(f) of this title, a presiding officer is authorized—

(1)to administer oaths or affirmations; and

(2)to require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of all information, documents, reports, answers, records, accounts, papers, and other data and documentary evidence which the presiding officer considers relevant and material to the hearing.

(c)In the case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to issue an appropriate order for the enforcement of any such subpoena. Any failure to obey such order of the court is punishable by such court as contempt. In any case in which an authority seeks the enforcement of a subpoena issued pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) of this section, the authority shall request the Attorney General to petition any district court in which a hearing under this chapter is being conducted, or in which the person receiving the subpoena resides or conducts business, to issue such an order.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 3804

Title 31 — Money and Finance

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60