PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

If the Postal Service thinks someone is mailing sexually oriented ads in violation of section 3010, it can ask the Attorney General to sue that person in federal court. If the court finds a violation, it can order the person to stop mailing to certain people or everyone, tell postmasters to refuse to accept the ads for mailing, or order a postmaster to return the defendant’s registered or certified incoming mail to the sender after the defendant is notified and given a chance to inspect and keep mail not connected to the violation. If an ad says to send money to a named person, that is treated as evidence that the person is the mailer’s agent for receiving payments, though the court can consider other proof. Before or during the case, the Attorney General can ask for a temporary order if there is probable cause, and the court can order the same kinds of relief and hold incoming mail until the case ends. A suit can be filed where the defendant lives, does business, or where the offending ad was delivered. Nothing here changes or limits 18 U.S.C. 1461 or 1463 or sections 3007 or 3008.

Title 39, §3011

Postal Service, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whenever the Postal Service believes that any person is mailing or causing to be mailed any sexually oriented advertisement in violation of section 3010 of this title, it may request the Attorney General to commence a civil action against such person in a district court of the United States. Upon a finding by the court of a violation of that section, the court may issue an order including one or more of the following provisions as the court deems just under the circumstances:

(1)a direction to the defendant to refrain from mailing any sexually oriented advertisement to a specific addressee, to any group of addressees, or to all persons;

(2)a direction to any postmaster to whom sexually oriented advertisements originating with such defendant are tendered for transmission through the mails to refuse to accept such advertisements for mailing; or

(3)a direction to any postmaster at the office at which registered or certified letters or other letters or mail arrive, addressed to the defendant or his representative, to return the registered or certified letters or other letters or mail to the sender appropriately marked as being in response to mail in violation of section 3010 of this title, after the defendant, or his representative, has been notified and given reasonable opportunity to examine such letters or mail and to obtain delivery of mail which is clearly not connected with activity alleged to be in violation of section 3010 of this title.

(b)The statement that remittances may be made to a person named in a sexually oriented advertisement is prima facie evidence that such named person is the principal, agent, or representative of the mailer for the receipt of remittances on his behalf. The court is not precluded from ascertaining the existence of the agency on the basis of any other evidence.

(c)In preparation for, or during the pendency of, a civil action under subsection (a) of this section, a district court of the United States, upon application therefor by the Attorney General and upon a showing of probable cause to believe the statute is being violated, may enter a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction containing such terms as the court deems just, including, but not limited to, provisions enjoining the defendant from mailing any sexually oriented advertisement to any person or class of persons, directing any postmaster to refuse to accept such defendant’s sexually oriented advertisements for mailing, and directing the detention of the defendant’s incoming mail by any postmaster pending the conclusion of the judicial proceedings. Any action taken by a court under this subsection does not affect or determine any fact at issue in any other proceeding under this section.

(d)A civil action under this section may be brought in the judicial district in which the defendant resides, or has his principal place of business, or in any judicial district in which any sexually oriented advertisement mailed in violation of section 3010 has been delivered by mail according to the direction thereon.

(e)Nothing in this section or in section 3010 shall be construed as amending, preempting, limiting, modifying, or otherwise in any way affecting section 1461 or 1463 of title 18 or section 3007 or 3008 of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1999—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 106–168 substituted “3007” for “3006, 3007,”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1999 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 106–168 effective 120 days after Dec. 12, 1999, see section 111 of Pub. L. 106–168, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective first day of sixth month which begins after Aug. 12, 1970, see section 15(b) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.

§3011 Judicial Enforcement

Summary

Title 39, §3011

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata