U.S. Code » Title 15 » Chapter CHAPTER 2— FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION; PROMOTION OF EXPORT TRADE AND PREVENTION OF UNFAIR METHODS OF COMPETITION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

15 U.S.C. § 53

False advertisements; injunctions and restraining orders

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(a) Power of Commission; jurisdiction of courtsWhenever the Commission has reason to believe—(1) that any person, partnership, or corporation is engaged in, or is about to engage in, the dissemination or the causing of the dissemination of any advertisement in violation of section 52 of this title, and(2) that the enjoining thereof pending the issuance of a complaint by the Commission under section 45 of this title, and until such complaint is dismissed by the Commission or set aside by the court on review, or the order of the Commission to cease and desist made thereon has become final within the meaning of section 45 of this title, would be to the interest of the public,the Commission by any of its attorneys designated by it for such purpose may bring suit in a district court of the United States or in the United States court of any Territory, to enjoin the dissemination or the causing of the dissemination of such advertisement. Upon proper showing a temporary injunction or restraining order shall be granted without bond. Any suit may be brought where such person, partnership, or corporation resides or transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28. In addition, the court may, if the court determines that the interests of justice require that any other person, partnership, or corporation should be a party in such suit, cause such other person, partnership, or corporation to be added as a party without regard to whether venue is otherwise proper in the district in which the suit is brought. In any suit under this section, process may be served on any person, partnership, or corporation wherever it may be found.(b) Temporary restraining orders; preliminary injunctionsWhenever the Commission has reason to believe—(1) that any person, partnership, or corporation is violating, or is about to violate, any provision of law enforced by the Federal Trade Commission, and(2) that the enjoining thereof pending the issuance of a complaint by the Commission and until such complaint is dismissed by the Commission or set aside by the court on review, or until the order of the Commission made thereon has become final, would be in the interest of the public—the Commission by any of its attorneys designated by it for such purpose may bring suit in a district court of the United States to enjoin any such act or practice. Upon a proper showing that, weighing the equities and considering the Commission’s likelihood of ultimate success, such action would be in the public interest, and after notice to the defendant, a temporary restraining order or a preliminary injunction may be granted without bond: Provided, however, That if a complaint is not filed within such period (not exceeding 20 days) as may be specified by the court after issuance of the temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction, the order or injunction shall be dissolved by the court and be of no further force and effect: Provided further, That in proper cases the Commission may seek, and after proper proof, the court may issue, a permanent injunction. Any suit may be brought where such person, partnership, or corporation resides or transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28. In addition, the court may, if the court determines that the interests of justice require that any other person, partnership, or corporation should be a party in such suit, cause such other person, partnership, or corporation to be added as a party without regard to whether venue is otherwise proper in the district in which the suit is brought. In any suit under this section, process may be served on any person, partnership, or corporation wherever it may be found.(c) Service of process; proof of serviceAny process of the Commission under this section may be served by any person duly authorized by the Commission—(1) by delivering a copy of such process to the person to be served, to a member of the partnership to be served, or to the president, secretary, or other executive officer or a director of the corporation to be served;(2) by leaving a copy of such process at the residence or the principal office or place of business of such person, partnership, or corporation; or(3) by mailing a copy of such process by registered mail or certified mail addressed to such person, partnership, or corporation at his, or her, or its residence, principal office, or principal place or business.The verified return by the person serving such process setting forth the manner of such service shall be proof of the same.(d) Exception of periodical publicationsWhenever it appears to the satisfaction of the court in the case of a newspaper, magazine, periodical, or other publication, published at regular intervals—(1) that restraining the dissemination of a false advertisement in any particular issue of such publication would delay the delivery of such issue after the regular time therefor, and(2) that such delay would be due to the method by which the manufacture and distribution of such publication is customarily conducted by the publisher in accordance with sound business practice, and not to any method or device adopted for the evasion of this section or to prevent or delay the issuance of an injunction or restraining order with respect to such false advertisement or any other advertisement,the court shall exclude such issue from the operation of the restraining order or injunction.(Sept. 26, 1914, ch. 311, § 13, as added Mar. 21, 1938, ch. 49, § 4, 52 Stat. 114; amended Pub. L. 93–153, title IV, § 408(f), Nov. 16, 1973, 87 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 103–312, § 10, Aug. 26, 1994, 108 Stat. 1695.)Editorial NotesAmendments

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–312, § 10(a), in concluding provisions, substituted “Any suit may be brought where such person, partnership, or corporation resides or transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under section 1391 of title 28. In addition, the court may, if the court determines that the interests of justice require that any other person, partnership, or corporation should be a party in such suit, cause such other person, partnership, or corporation to be added as a party without regard to whether venue is otherwise proper in the district in which the suit is brought. In any suit under this section, process may be served on any person, partnership, or corporation wherever it may be found.” for “Any such suit shall be brought in the district in which such person, partnership, or corporation resides or transacts business.”

Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 103–312, § 10(b), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).

1973—Subsecs. (b), (c). Pub. L. 93–153 added subsec. (b) and redesignated former subsec. (b) as (c).

Executive DocumentsTransfer of Functions

For 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.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 480 cases (137 in the last 5 years), 1940–2026 · leading case: Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Whole Foods Mkt., Inc., 548 F.3d 1028 (D.C. Cir. 2008).
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Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Whole Foods Mkt., Inc., 548 F.3d 1028 (D.C. Cir. 2008). · cites it 24× “The FTC sought a preliminary injunction, under 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b), to block the merger of Whole Foods and Wild Oats.”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. On Point Capital Partners LLC, 17 F.4th 1066 (11th Cir. 2021). · cites it 8× “TJOFLAT, Circuit Judge: On December 9, 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) brought suit under 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (“FTCA”) against Burton Katz, Robert Zangrillo, Brent Levison, Arlene Mahon, Elisha Rothman, Christopher Sher- man, and…”
FTC v. Amg Capital Mgmt., LLC, 910 F.3d 417 (9th Cir. 2018). · cites it 7× “” 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b). According to Tucker, an order to pay “equitable monetary relief” is not an injunction, so he concludes that the statute does not authorize the court’s order.”
FTC v. Consum. Def., LLC, 926 F.3d 1208 (9th Cir. 2019). · cites it 5× “The FTC sought an injunction and other equitable relief pursuant to Section 13(b) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b). On the same day, the FTC filed an emergency ex parte motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO), for an asset freeze, for appointment of a receiver, and for…”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. H.J. Heinz Co., 246 F.3d 708 (D.C. Cir. 2001). · cites it 7× “The Federal Trade Commission (Commission or FTC) sought a preliminary injunction pursuant to section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTCA), 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b), to enjoin the consummation of the merger.”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Shire Viropharma, Inc., 917 F.3d 147 (3rd Cir. 2019). · cites it 6× “Nearly five years later-and after Shire had divested itself of Vancocin-the Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") filed suit against Shire in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware under Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b). The…”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. AbbVie Inc, 976 F.3d 327 (3rd Cir. 2020). · cites it 4× “In Count I of the complaint, the FTC alleged AbbVie and Besins willfully maintained a monopoly through a course of anticompetitive conduct, including sham patent litigation against Teva and Perrigo.”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Penn State Hershey Med. Ctr., 838 F.3d 327 (3rd Cir. 2016). · cites it 6× “Invoking Section 13(b) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b), and Section 16 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.”
Consum. Fin. Prot. v. Chance Gordon, 819 F.3d 1179 (9th Cir. 2016). · cites it 4× “2d at 1088, the 9 The FTC had authority to pursue the action in Evans Products under 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b), which gives the FTC authority to pursue injunctive relief only if it can show that a person “‘is violating, or is about to violate’ any law enforced by the FTC; the statute…”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Exxon Corp., 636 F.2d 1336 (D.C. Cir. 1980). · cites it 8× “On July 27, 1979, pursuant to the authority of Section 13(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b) (1976), 2 the FTC filed a *1338 complaint in District Court.”
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Accusearch Inc., 570 F.3d 1187 (10th Cir. 2009). · cites it 4× “" 15 U.S.C. § 53 (b). Although Accusearch ceased dealing in telephone records before the FTC filed its complaint, the district court determined that prospective injunctive relief was appropriate to prevent Accusearch from engaging in similar unfair practices with respect to…”
AMG Capital Mgmt., LLC v. FTC, 593 U.S. 67 (2021). · cites it 4× “592 , 15 U. S. C. §53 (b). The question presented is whether this statutory language authorizes the Commission to seek, and a court to award, equitable monetary relief such as restitution or disgorge- ment.”
Show all 480 citing cases →
— 15 U.S.C. § 53(a) — 1 case
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Simeon Mgmt. Corp., 391 F. Supp. 697 (N.D. Cal. 1975).
— 15 U.S.C. § 53(b) — 6 cases
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Lancaster Colony Corp., 434 F. Supp. 1088 (S.D.N.Y. 1977).
FTC v. Hackensack Meridian Health Inc, 30 F.4th 160 (3rd Cir. 2022).
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Libbey, Inc., 211 F. Supp. 2d 34 (D.D.C. 2002).
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Meta Platforms, Inc. (D.D.C. 2025).
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Neora, LLC (D.N.J. 2020).
— 15 U.S.C. § 53(b)(2) — 1 case
Fed. Trade Comm'n v. Meta Platforms Inc. (N.D. Cal. 2022).
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