42 U.S.C. § 2000b : US Code - Section 2000B: Civil actions by the Attorney General

Search 42 U.S.C. § 2000b : US Code - Section 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 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
which is owned, operated, or managed by or on behalf of any State
or subdivision thereof, other than a public school or public
college as defined in section 2000c of this title, and the Attorney
General 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,
the Attorney General is authorized to institute for or in the name
of the United States a civil action in any appropriate district
court of the United States 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 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 may deem a person or persons unable to
initiate and maintain appropriate legal proceedings within the
meaning of subsection (a) of this section when such person or
persons are unable, either directly or through other interested
persons 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 or persons, their families, or their property.