{"data":{"id":"us/31-u.s.c.-3728","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"31 U.S.C. § 3728","heading":"Setoff against judgment","body":"(a) The Secretary of the Treasury shall withhold paying that part of a judgment against the United States Government presented to the Secretary that is equal to a debt the plaintiff owes the Government. (b) The Secretary shall—(1) discharge the debt if the plaintiff agrees to the setoff and discharges a part of the judgment equal to the debt; or (2)(A) withhold payment of an additional amount the Secretary decides will cover legal costs of bringing a civil action for the debt if the plaintiff denies the debt or does not agree to the setoff; and (B) have a civil action brought if one has not already been brought. (c) If the Government loses a civil action to recover a debt or recovers less than the amount the Secretary withholds under this section, the Secretary shall pay the plaintiff the balance and interest of 6 percent for the time the money is withheld.","path":["Title 31—MONEY AND FINANCE","CHAPTER 37—CLAIMS"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc31@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T05:59:03Z","sha256":"f2df5f08634a0bd39e062bee967f84197deeac42962fdcc01e3abc70dc36868d","source_id":"us","stale":false,"prev":"us/31-u.s.c.-3727","next":"us/31-u.s.c.-3729"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}