the Commission may commence, defend, or intervene in, and supervise the litigation of, such action and any appeal of such action in its own name by any of its attorneys designated by it for such purpose.
the Commission shall have exclusive authority to commence or defend, and supervise the litigation of, such action and any appeal of such action in its own name by any of its attorneys designated by it for such purpose, unless the Commission authorizes the Attorney General to do so. The Commission shall inform the Attorney General of the exercise of such authority and such exercise shall not preclude the Attorney General from intervening on behalf of the United States in such action and any appeal of such action as may be otherwise provided by law.
Whenever the Commission has reason to believe that any person, partnership, or corporation is liable for a criminal penalty under this subchapter, the Commission shall certify the facts to the Attorney General, whose duty it shall be to cause appropriate criminal proceedings to be brought.
With the concurrence of the Attorney General, the Commission may designate Commission attorneys to assist the Attorney General in connection with litigation in foreign courts on particular matters in which the Commission has an interest.
The Commission is authorized to expend appropriated funds, upon agreement with the Attorney General, to reimburse the Attorney General for the retention of foreign counsel for litigation in foreign courts and for expenses related to litigation in foreign courts in which the Commission has an interest.
Nothing in this subsection authorizes the payment of claims or judgments from any source other than the permanent and indefinite appropriation authorized by section 1304 of title 31.
The authority provided by this subsection is in addition to any other authority of the Commission or the Attorney General.
15 U.S.C. § 56
Amendment of Section For repeal of amendment by section 13 of Pub. L. 109-455 see Termination Date of 2006 Amendment note below.
EDITORIAL NOTES
AMENDMENTS2012- Pub. L. 112-203, §1, amended Pub. L. 109-455, §13. See 2006 Amendment notes below.2006-Subsec. (a)(2)(E). Pub. L. 109-455, §7(b), which added subpar. (E) reading "under section 57b-2a of this title;", was repealed by Pub. L. 109-455, §13, as amended by Pub. L. 112-203, §1. See Termination Date of 2006 Amendment note below. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109-455, §5, which added subsec. (c) relating to attorneys used and money expended for foreign litigation, was repealed by Pub. L. 109-455, §13, as amended by Pub. L. 112-203, §1. See Termination Date of 2006 Amendment note below. 1975- Pub. L. 93-637 substituted provisions authorizing the Commission at its election to appear in court by its own name and designate its attorneys for such purpose, for provisions relating to the certification of facts by the Commission to the Attorney General who brought the appropriate proceedings, or, after compliance with section 45(m) of this title, itself brought the appropriate proceedings. 1973- Pub. L. 93-153 inserted provisions authorizing the Federal Trade Commission to itself cause appropriate proceedings to be brought after compliance with the requirements of section 45(m) of this title.
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
TERMINATION DATE OF 2006 AMENDMENT Amendment by sections 5 and 7(b) of Pub. L. 109-455 repealed effective Sept. 30, 2027, and provisions amended by Pub. L. 109-455 to be amended to read as if Pub. L. 109-455 had not been enacted, see section 13 of Pub. L. 109-455 set out as a note under section 44 of this title.
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1975 AMENDMENT Pub. L. 93-637, title II, §204(c), Jan. 4, 1975, 88 Stat. 2200, provided that: "The amendment and repeal made by this section [amending this section and repealing section 45(m) of this title] shall not apply to any civil action commenced before the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 4, 1975]."
EXECUTIVE DOCUMENTS
TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONSFor transfer of functions of Federal Trade Commission, with certain exceptions, to Chairman of such Commission, see Reorg. Plan No. 8 of 1950, §1, eff. May 24, 1950, 15 F.R. 3175, 64 Stat. 1264, set out under section 41 of this title.