
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 17USC511]

 
                          TITLE 17--COPYRIGHTS
 
             CHAPTER 5--COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT AND REMEDIES
 
Sec. 511. Liability of States, instrumentalities of States, and 
        State officials for infringement of copyright
        
    (a) In General.--Any State, any instrumentality of a State, and any 
officer or employee of a State or instrumentality of a State acting in 
his or her official capacity, shall not be immune, under the Eleventh 
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States or under any other 
doctrine of sovereign immunity, from suit in Federal court by any 
person, including any governmental or nongovernmental entity, for a 
violation of any of the exclusive rights of a copyright owner provided 
by sections 106 through 121, for importing copies of phonorecords in 
violation of section 602, or for any other violation under this title.
    (b) Remedies.--In a suit described in subsection (a) for a violation 
described in that subsection, remedies (including remedies both at law 
and in equity) are available for the violation to the same extent as 
such remedies are available for such a violation in a suit against any 
public or private entity other than a State, instrumentality of a State, 
or officer or employee of a State acting in his or her official 
capacity. Such remedies include impounding and disposition of infringing 
articles under section 503, actual damages and profits and statutory 
damages under section 504, costs and attorney's fees under section 505, 
and the remedies provided in section 510.

(Added Pub. L. 101-553, Sec. 2(a)(2), Nov. 15, 1990, 104 Stat. 2749; 
amended Pub. L. 106-44, Sec. 1(g)(6), Aug. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 222.)


                               Amendments

    1999--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 106-44 substituted ``121'' for ``119''.


                             Effective Date

    Section effective with respect to violations that occur on or after 
Nov. 15, 1990, see section 3 of Pub. L. 101-553, set out as an Effective 
Date of 1990 Amendment note under section 501 of this title.
