Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
42 U.S.C. § 2000b
§ 2000b. Civil actions by the Attorney General
(a) Complaint; certification; institution of civil action; relief requested;
jurisdiction; impleading additional parties as defendants
Whenever the Attorney General receives a complaint in writing signed
by an individual to the effect that he is being deprived of or threatened
with the loss of his right to the equal protection of the laws, on account
of his race, color, religion, or national origin, by being denied equal
utilization of any public facility which is owned, operated, or managed
by or on behalf of any State or subdivision thereof, other than a public
school or public college as defined in section 2000c of this title, and
the Attorney General believes the complaint is meritorious and certifies
that the signer or signers of such complaint are unable, in his judgment,
to initiate and maintain appropriate legal proceedings for relief and that
the institution of an action will materially further the orderly progress
of desegregation in public facilities, the Attorney General is authorized
to institute for or in the name of the United States a civil action in
any appropriate district court of the United States against such parties
and for such relief as may be appropriate, and such court shall have and
shall exercise jurisdiction of proceedings instituted pursuant to this
section. The Attorney General may implead as defendants such additional
parties as are or become necessary to the grant of effective relief hereunder.
(b) Persons unable to initiate and maintain legal proceedings
The Attorney General may deem a person or persons unable to initiate
and maintain appropriate legal proceedings within the meaning of subsection
(a) of this section when such person or persons are unable, either directly
or through other interested persons or organizations, to bear the expense
of the litigation or to obtain effective legal representation; or whenever
he is satisfied that the institution of such litigation would jeopardize
the personal safety, employment, or economic standing of such person or
persons, their families, or their property.
§ 2000b-1. Liability of United States for costs and attorney's
fee
In any action or proceeding under this subchapter the United States
shall be liable for costs, including a reasonable attorney's fee, the same
as a private person.
§ 2000b-2. Personal suits for relief against discrimination
in public facilities
Nothing in this subchapter shall affect adversely the right of any person
to sue for or obtain relief in any court against discrimination in any
facility covered by this subchapter.
§ 2000b-3. "Complaint" defined
A complaint as used in this subchapter is a writing or document within
the meaning of section 1001, Title 18.
Updated July 25, 2008