{"data":{"id":"us/46-u.s.c.-31102","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"46 U.S.C. § 31102","heading":"Waiver of immunity","body":"(a) In General.—A civil action in personam in admiralty may be brought, or an impleader filed, against the United States for—(1) damages caused by a public vessel of the United States; or (2) compensation for towage and salvage services, including contract salvage, rendered to a public vessel of the United States. (b) Counterclaim or Setoff.—If the United States brings a civil action in admiralty for damages caused by a privately owned vessel, the owner of the vessel, or the successor in interest, may file a counterclaim in personam, or claim a setoff, against the United States for damages arising out of the same subject matter.","path":["Title 46—SHIPPING","CHAPTER 311—SUITS INVOLVING PUBLIC VESSELS"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc46@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T06:00:50Z","sha256":"5d92a6a6eab94c07e82bf5f0c7737937a7e78838c79c8d9caa1f7b1617ceca2c","source_id":"us","stale":true,"prev":"us/46-u.s.c.-31101","next":"us/46-u.s.c.-31103"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}