49 USC 507 – Enforcement
(a) The Secretary of Transportation may bring a civil action to enforce—
(1) an order of the Secretary under this chapter when violated by a rail carrier; and
(2) this chapter or a regulation or order of the Secretary under this chapter when violated by a motor carrier, motor carrier of migrant workers, motor private carrier, or freight forwarder.
Terms Used In 49 USC 507
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) The Attorney General may, and on request of the Secretary shall, bring court proceedings to enforce this chapter or a regulation or order of the Secretary under this chapter and to prosecute a person violating this chapter or a regulation or order of the Secretary.
(c) The Attorney General, at the request of the Secretary, may bring an action in an appropriate district court of the United States for equitable relief to redress a violation by any person of a provision of subchapter III of chapter 311 (except sections 31138 and 31139) or section 31502 of this title, or an order or regulation issued under any of those provisions. Such district court shall have jurisdiction to determine any such action and may grant such relief as is necessary or appropriate, including mandatory or prohibitive injunctive relief, interim equitable relief, and punitive damages.
(d) A person injured because a rail carrier or freight forwarder does not obey an order of the Secretary under this chapter may bring a civil action to enforce that order under this subsection.
(e) In a civil action brought under subsection (a)(2) of this section against a motor carrier, motor carrier of migrant workers, or motor private carrier—
(1) trial is in the judicial district in which the carrier operates;
(2) process may be served without regard to the territorial limits of the district or of the State in which the action is brought; and
(3) a person participating with the carrier in a violation may be joined in the civil action without regard to the residence of the person.