Confidentiality and delayed notice of compulsory process for certain third parties

15 U.S.C. § 57b–2a

• Title: 15 — Commerce and Trade
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER I—FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Text

(a) Application with other laws
The Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) and chapter 121 of title 18 shall apply with respect to the Commission, except as otherwise provided in this section.
(b) Procedures for delay of notification or prohibition of disclosure
The procedures for delay of notification or prohibition of disclosure under the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) and chapter 121 of title 18, including procedures for extensions of such delays or prohibitions, shall be available to the Commission, provided that, notwithstanding any provision therein—
(1) a court may issue an order delaying notification or prohibiting disclosure (including extending such an order) in accordance with the procedures of section 1109 of the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3409) (if notification would otherwise be required under that Act), or section 2705 of title 18 (if notification would otherwise be required under chapter 121 of that title), if the presiding judge or magistrate judge finds that there is reason to believe that such notification or disclosure may cause an adverse result as defined in subsection (g) of this section; and
(2) if notification would otherwise be required under chapter 121 of title 18, the Commission may delay notification (including extending such a delay) upon the execution of a written certification in accordance with the procedures of section 2705 of that title if the Commission finds that there is reason to believe that notification may cause an adverse result as defined in subsection (g) of this section.
(c) Ex parte application by Commission
If neither notification nor delayed notification by the Commission is required under the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) or chapter 121 of title 18, the Commission may apply ex parte to a presiding judge or magistrate judge for an order prohibiting the recipient of compulsory process issued by the Commission from disclosing to any other person the existence of the process, notwithstanding any law or regulation of the United States, or under the constitution, or any law or regulation, of any State, political subdivision of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia. The presiding judge or magistrate judge may enter such an order granting the requested prohibition of disclosure for a period not to exceed 60 days if there is reason to believe that disclosure may cause an adverse result as defined in subsection (g). The presiding judge or magistrate judge may grant extensions of this order of up to 30 days each in accordance with this subsection, except that in no event shall the prohibition continue in force for more than a total of 9 months.
This subsection shall apply only in connection with compulsory process issued by the Commission where the recipient of such process is not a subject of the investigation or proceeding at the time such process is issued.
No order issued under this subsection shall prohibit any recipient from disclosing to a Federal agency that the recipient has received compulsory process from the Commission.
(d) No liability for failure to notify
If neither notification nor delayed notification by the Commission is required under the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) or chapter 121 of title 18, the recipient of compulsory process issued by the Commission under this subchapter shall not be liable under any law or regulation of the United States, or under the constitution, or any law or regulation, of any State, political subdivision of a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, or under any contract or other legally enforceable agreement, for failure to provide notice to any person that such process has been issued or that the recipient has provided information in response to such process. The preceding sentence does not exempt any recipient from liability for—
(1) the underlying conduct reported;
(2) a failure to comply with the record retention requirements under section 1104(c) of the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3404[c]), where applicable; or
(3) any failure to comply with any obligation the recipient may have to disclose to a Federal agency that the recipient has received compulsory process from the Commission or intends to provide or has provided information to the Commission in response to such process.
(e) Venue and procedure
All judicial proceedings initiated by the Commission under the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.), chapter 121 of title 18, or this section may be brought in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or any other appropriate United States District Court. All ex parte applications by the Commission under this section related to a single investigation may be brought in a single proceeding.
Upon application by the Commission, all judicial proceedings pursuant to this section shall be held in camera and the records thereof sealed until expiration of the period of delay or such other date as the presiding judge or magistrate judge may permit.
(f) Section not to apply to antitrust investigations or proceedings
This section shall not apply to an investigation or proceeding related to the administration of Federal antitrust laws or foreign antitrust laws (as defined in paragraphs (5) and (7), respectively, of section 6211 of this title).
(g) Adverse result defined
For purposes of this section the term "adverse result" means—
(1) endangering the life or physical safety of an individual;
(2) flight from prosecution;
(3) the destruction of, or tampering with, evidence;
(4) the intimidation of potential witnesses; or
(5) otherwise seriously jeopardizing an investigation or proceeding related to fraudulent or deceptive commercial practices or persons involved in such practices, or unduly delaying a trial related to such practices or persons involved in such practices, including, but not limited to, by—
(A) the transfer outside the territorial limits of the United States of assets or records related to fraudulent or deceptive commercial practices or related to persons involved in such practices;
(B) impeding the ability of the Commission to identify persons involved in fraudulent or deceptive commercial practices, or to trace the source or disposition of funds related to such practices; or
(C) the dissipation, fraudulent transfer, or concealment of assets subject to recovery by the Commission.

History

(Sept. 26, 1914, ch. 311, §21A, as added Pub. L. 109–455, §7(a), Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3377.)

Editorial Notes

Repeal of Section
For repeal of section by section 13 of Pub. L. 109–455, see Effective Date of Repeal note below.

Editorial Notes

References in Text
The Right to Financial Privacy Act, referred to in subsecs. (a) to (e), probably means the Right to Financial Privacy Act of 1978, Pub. L. 95–630, title XI, Nov. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 3697, which is classified generally to chapter 35 (§3401 et seq.) of Title 12, Banks and Banking. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 3401 of Title 12 and Tables.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of Repeal
Section repealed effective Sept. 30, 2027, see section 13 of Pub. L. 109–455, as amended, set out as a Termination Date of 2006 Amendment note under section 44 of this title.