# § 6504. Actions by States
**(a)** **In general**
**(1)** **Civil actions** In any case in which the attorney general of a State has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of that State has been or is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement of any person in a practice that violates any regulation of the Commission prescribed under section 6502(b) of this title, the State, as parens patriae, may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in a district court of the United States of appropriate jurisdiction to—
**(A)** enjoin that practice;
**(B)** enforce compliance with the regulation;
**(C)** obtain damage, restitution, or other compensation on behalf of residents of the State; or
**(D)** obtain such other relief as the court may consider to be appropriate.
**(2)** **Notice**
**(A)** **In general** Before filing an action under paragraph (1), the attorney general of the State involved shall provide to the Commission—
**(i)** written notice of that action; and
**(ii)** a copy of the complaint for that action.
**(B)** **Exemption**
**(i)** **In general** Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to the filing of an action by an attorney general of a State under this subsection, if the attorney general determines that it is not feasible to provide the notice described in that subparagraph before the filing of the action.
**(ii)** **Notification** In an action described in clause (i), the attorney general of a State shall provide notice and a copy of the complaint to the Commission at the same time as the attorney general files the action.
**(b)** **Intervention**
**(1)** **In general** On receiving notice under subsection (a)(2), the Commission shall have the right to intervene in the action that is the subject of the notice.
**(2)** **Effect of intervention** If the Commission intervenes in an action under subsection (a), it shall have the right—
**(A)** to be heard with respect to any matter that arises in that action; and
**(B)** to file a petition for appeal.
**(3)** **Amicus curiae** Upon application to the court, a person whose self-regulatory guidelines have been approved by the Commission and are relied upon as a defense by any defendant to a proceeding under this section may file amicus curiae in that proceeding.
**(c)** **Construction** For purposes of bringing any civil action under subsection (a), nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent an attorney general of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of that State to—
**(1)** conduct investigations;
**(2)** administer oaths or affirmations; or
**(3)** compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
**(d)** **Actions by Commission** section 6502 of this title
In any case in which an action is instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for violation of any regulation prescribed under , no State may, during the pendency of that action, institute an action under subsection (a) against any defendant named in the complaint in that action for violation of that regulation.
**(e)** **Venue; service of process**
**(1)** **Venue** section 1391 of title 28
Any action brought under subsection (a) may be brought in the district court of the United States that meets applicable requirements relating to venue under .
**(2)** **Service of process** In an action brought under subsection (a), process may be served in any district in which the defendant—
**(A)** is an inhabitant; or
**(B)** may be found.
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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title XIII, § 1305, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–733.)
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date
For effective date of section, see , set out as a note under .