{"id":4726,"date":"2024-05-29T10:54:08","date_gmt":"2024-05-29T14:54:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/?page_id=4726"},"modified":"2024-06-17T09:54:11","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T13:54:11","slug":"filing-a-formal-complaint","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/complaints-and-assistance\/filing-a-formal-complaint\/","title":{"rendered":"Filing a Formal Complaint"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t<div class=\"usa-alert usa-alert--info\">\n\t\t<div class=\"usa-alert__body\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"usa-alert__heading\">Notice<\/h4>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"usa-alert__text\">The Commission is temporarily waiving certain requirements related to paper filing of documents, ink signatures, and service by mail of complaints in 46 C.F.R. part 502. See the following links for more information:\n<br><br>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www2.fmc.gov\/readingroom\/documents\/30335\">Waiver of Certain Filing Requirements Due to COVID19<\/a> [PDF, 80.2 KB]\n\n<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:8px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>A formal complaint may be filed with the Commission to allege violations of the Shipping Act under <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?path=\/prelim@title46\/subtitle4\/partA\/chapter411&edition=prelim\">46 U.S.C. Chapter 411<\/a> and to seek reparations (damages).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/instructions-for-drafting-a-shipping-act-complaint\/\">rules for filing complaints<\/a> should be consulted prior to filing. Formal complaints are assigned to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/about\/bureaus-offices\/office-of-administrative-law-judges-alj\/\">Administrative Law Judge<\/a> and adjudicated pursuant to the Commission\u2019s Rules of Practice and Procedure at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ecfr.gov\/current\/title-46\/part-502\">46 CFR Part 502<\/a>. Please review these rules before filing a formal complaint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Commission provides detailed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/complaints-and-assistance\/filing-a-formal-complaint\/instructions-for-drafting-a-shipping-act-complaint\/\">instructions for drafting a formal complaint<\/a>. Examples of complaints can be found by browsing the <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.fmc.gov\/readingroom\/\">Docket Logs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A formal complaint must:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Allege violations of specific sections of the Shipping Act, <a href=\"https:\/\/uscode.house.gov\/view.xhtml?path=\/prelim@title46\/subtitle4\/partA\/chapter411&edition=prelim\">46 U.S.C. Chapter 411<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be verified (sworn)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be filed within three years of the violation, if seeking reparation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include the name, address and email address of each complainant, the name, address and email address of each complainant\u2019s attorney or agent, the name and address of each person against whom the complaint is made<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include concise statement of the cause of action and a request for relief or other affirmative action sought<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Designate the place at which a hearing is desired<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Include an original and 5 copies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be accompanied by a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/complaints-and-assistance\/summary-of-fees\/\">filing fee<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be filed with the Secretary of the Federal Maritime Commission by sending paper copies to:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>David Eng<\/strong>, <strong>Secretary<\/strong><br>Federal Maritime Commission<br>800 N. Capitol St. N.W.<br>Washington, DC 20573<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"format-for-filing-a-formal-complaint\">Format for Filing a Formal Complaint<\/h2>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group icon-list is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-1 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-right:8px;padding-left:8px\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/complaints-and-assistance\/filing-a-formal-complaint\/instructions-for-drafting-a-shipping-act-complaint\/\">Format for Filing a Formal Complaint<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:24px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"responding-to-a-formal-complaint\">Responding to a Formal Complaint<\/h2>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>The respondent has 25 days from the date of service of the complaint to file a verified response with the Commission and serve it on the complainant. The respondent may also file a counter-complaint at this time, following the rules of a formal complaint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Commission provides a standard <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Answer_to_Complaint_Format.pdf\">format for filing an answer to a complaint<\/a> [PDF, 22.7 KB]. All answers to complaints should follow this standard format. An Answer to a complaint must be verified (sworn).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/about\/bureaus-offices\/office-of-the-secretary\/\">Office of the Secretary<\/a> if you have questions concerning the process for filing complaints.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A formal complaint may be filed with the Commission to allege violations of the Shipping Act under 46 U.S.C. Chapter 411 and to seek reparations (damages). Commission rules for filing complaints should be consulted prior to filing. Formal complaints are assigned to an Administrative Law Judge and adjudicated pursuant to the Commission\u2019s Rules of Practice and Procedure at 46 CFR Part 502. [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":182,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4726","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Filing a Formal Complaint - Federal Maritime Commission<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fmc.gov\/complaints-and-assistance\/filing-a-formal-complaint\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Filing a Formal Complaint - Federal Maritime Commission\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A formal complaint may be filed with the Commission to allege violations of the Shipping Act under 46 U.S.C. 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