---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 2000b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "2000b"
heading: "Civil actions by the Attorney General"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/2000b"
units:
  - "Chapter 21 — Civil Rights"
  - "Subchapter III — Public Facilities"
---

# §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](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6) 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](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4) which is owned, operated, or managed by or on behalf of any [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) or subdivision thereof, other than a public [school](/usc/42/6372.md?p=1) or public college as defined in [section 2000c of this title](/usc/42/2000c.md), and the [Attorney General](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6) 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](/usc/42/11049.md?p=4), the [Attorney General](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6) is authorized to institute for or in the name of the [United States](/usc/42/403.md?p=k) a civil action in any appropriate district court of the [United States](/usc/42/403.md?p=k) 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](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6) 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](/usc/42/14902.md?p=6) may deem a [person](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) or [persons](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) unable to initiate and maintain appropriate legal proceedings within the meaning of [subsection (a)](#a) of this section when such [person](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) or [persons](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) are unable, either directly or through other interested [persons](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) 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](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i) or [persons](/usc/42/1320a–7k.md?p=d-4-C-i), their [families](/usc/42/12704.md?p=11), or their property.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 88–352, title III, § 301, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 246.)