# § 2102. Private enforcement
**(a)** **In general** section 2101(c) of this titlesection 1391 of title 28
If any person violates section 2101(a) or (b) of this title or a rule under , any interested person may commence a civil action for injunctive relief restraining such violation, and for damages, in any United States District Court for a district in which the defendant resides, has an agent, transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under . In any such action, the court may award the costs of the suit, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.
**(b)** **Trademark violations** section 2101(c) of this title15 U.S.C. 1116
If the violation of section 2101(a) or (b) of this title or a rule under also involves unauthorized use of registered trademarks belonging to a collectibles certification service, the owner of such trademarks shall have, in addition to the remedies provided in subsection (a), all rights provided under sections 34, 35, and 36 of the Trademark Act of 1946 (, 1117, and 1118) for violations of such Act.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 93–167, § 3, Nov. 29, 1973, 87 Stat. 686; Pub. L. 113–288, § 2(2), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3281.)
## Editorial Notes
### References in Text
The Trademark Act of 1946, referred to in subsec. (b), is , , also popularly known as the Lanham Act, which is classified generally to chapter 22 (§ 1051 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.
### Amendments
2014— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, substituted “, has an agent, transacts business, or wherever venue is proper under ” for “or has an agent”, and added subsec. (b).
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
Section applicable only to imitation political items and imitation numismatic items manufactured after , see , set out as a note under .