28 U.S.C. § 1356
Section 1356 · Seizures not within admiralty and maritime jurisdiction
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 42 court decisions — leading case Ibarra v. United States (1997)
Most recently applied in Unichem Enters., Inc. v. United States (November 2024)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
The district courts shall have original jurisdiction, exclusive of the courts of the States, of any seizure under any law of the United States on land or upon waters not within admiralty and maritime jurisdiction, except matters within the jurisdiction of the Court of International Trade under section 1582 of this title.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§41(3) and 371(4) (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §§24, par. 3, 256, par. 4, 36 Stat. 1091, 1160; Oct. 6, 1917, ch. 97, §1, 40 Stat. 395; June 10, 1922, ch. 216, §1, 42 Stat. 634).
Section consolidates certain provisions of sections 41(3) and 371(4) of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed. Other provisions of such sections are incorporated in section 1333 of this title.
Changes were made in arrangement and phraseology.
Amendments
1980—Pub. L. 96–417 inserted exception for matters within the jurisdiction of the Court of International Trade under section 1582 of this title.
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 96–417 applicable with respect to civil actions commenced on or after the 90th day after Nov. 1, 1980, see section 701(c)(1)(B) of Pub. L. 96–417, set out as a note under section 251 of this title.
Cross References
Amount in controversy immaterial in action under this section, see Historical and Revision Notes under section 1331 of this title.
Diversity of citizenship immaterial in action under this section, see Historical and Revision Notes under section 1332 of this title.
Jurisdiction of—
Admiralty, maritime and prize cases, see section 1333 of this title.
Fine, penalty, or forfeiture, see section 1355 of this title.