Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102
§107 Penalty for False Information
Title 43 › CHAPTER 4 — DISTRICT LAND OFFICES › § 107
Summary
If an officer chosen by the Secretary of the Interior knowingly lies to someone applying to enter land by saying it was already entered and then refuses them, that officer must pay $5 for each acre the person tried to enter. The applicant can recover that money by filing a debt lawsuit in any court of record that can hear the amount.
Full Legal Text
Title 43, §107
Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If any person applies to any officer designated by the Secretary of the Interior to enter any land whatever, and the officer knowingly and falsely informs the person so applying that the same has already been entered, and refuses to permit the person so applying to enter the same, such officer shall be liable therefor, to the person so applying, for $5 for each acre of land which the person so applying offered to enter, to be recovered by action of debt in any court of record having jurisdiction of the amount.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification R.S. § 2247 derived from act July 4, 1836, ch. 352, § 13, 5 Stat. 112.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
For
Transfer of Functions
of other officers, employees, and agencies of Department of the Interior, with certain exceptions, to Secretary of the Interior, with power to delegate, see Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1950, §§ 1, 2, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3174, 64 Stat. 1262, set out under section 1451 of this title. References to “register” changed to “officer designated by the Secretary of the Interior” and “officer” on authority of section 403 of Reorg. Plan No. 3 of 1946. See note set out under section 1 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
43 U.S.C. § 107
Title 43, Public Lands
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102