§ 56. Actions; limitation; concurrent jurisdiction of courts

No action shall be maintained under this chapter unless commenced within three years from the day the cause of action accrued.

Under this chapter an action may be brought in a district court of the United States, in the district of the residence of the defendant, or in which the cause of action arose, or in which the defendant shall be doing business at the time of commencing such action. The jurisdiction of the courts of the United States under this chapter shall be concurrent with that of the courts of the several States.

(Apr. 22, 1908, ch. 149, § 6, 35 Stat. 66; Apr. 5, 1910, ch. 143, § 1, 36 Stat. 291; Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, § 291, 36 Stat. 1167; Aug. 11, 1939, ch. 685, § 2, 53 Stat. 1404; June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 18, 62 Stat. 989.)

Codification

Codification

The first par. of this section is from act Apr. 22, 1908.

The second par. of this section is from act Apr. 5, 1910.

Amendments

Amendments

1948—Act June 25, 1948, struck out provision in last sentence relating to removal of actions.

1939—Act Aug. 11, 1939, changed limitation in first sentence from two to three years.

Change Of Name

Change of Name

“District court” substituted in text for “circuit court” to conform to act Mar. 3, 1911, which transferred powers and duties of circuit courts to district courts.

Effective Date Of Amendment

Effective Date of 1948 Amendment

Act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 38, 62 Stat. 992, provided that the amendment made by that act is effective Sept. 1, 1948.