28 USC § 1351 - Consuls, vice consuls, and members of a diplomatic mission as defendant

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t28/s1351"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "28 USC § 1351 - Consuls, vice consuls, and members of a diplomatic mission as defendant"
title_number: 28
title_name: "JUDICIARY AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1351"
section_name: "Consuls, vice consuls, and members of a diplomatic mission as defendant"
chapter_number: 85
chapter_name: "DISTRICT COURTS; JURISDICTION"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "JURISDICTION AND VENUE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 934; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 80(c), 63 Stat. 101; Pub. L. 95–393, § 8(a)(1), Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 810.)"
---


# § 1351. Consuls, vice consuls, and members of a diplomatic mission as defendant

The district courts shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of all civil actions and proceedings against—

**(1)** consuls or vice consuls of foreign states; or

**(2)** members of a mission or members of their families (as such terms are defined in section 2 of the Diplomatic Relations Act).

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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 646, 62 Stat. 934; May 24, 1949, ch. 139, § 80(c), 63 Stat. 101; Pub. L. 95–393, § 8(a)(1), Sept. 30, 1978, 92 Stat. 810.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 41(18), 371(8) (, §§ 24, par. 18, 256, par. 8, , 1160).

Words “civil action” were substituted for “suits,” and “all suits and proceedings” in view of Rule 2 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 2 of the Diplomatic Relations Act, referred to in par. (2), is classified to , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

### Amendments

1978— substituted “Consuls, vice consuls, and members of a diplomatic mission as defendant” for “Consuls and vice consuls as defendants” in section catchline, designated existing provisions as introductory provision preceding par. (1), and in such introductory provision as so designated, substituted “civil actions and proceedings against—” for “actions and proceedings against consuls or vice consuls of foreign states”, and added pars. (1) and (2).

1949—Act , substituted “of all actions and proceedings” for “of any civil action”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by  effective at end of ninety-day period beginning on , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.