---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 177"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "177"
heading: "Injunctions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/177"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 10 — Biological Weapons"
---

# §177. Injunctions

- (a) **In General.—** The [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) may obtain in a civil action an injunction against—
  - (1) the conduct prohibited under [section 175 of this title](/usc/18/175.md);
  - (2) the preparation, solicitation, attempt, threat, or conspiracy to engage in conduct prohibited under [section 175 of this title](/usc/18/175.md); or
  - (3) the development, production, stockpiling, transferring, acquisition, retention, or possession, or the attempted development, production, stockpiling, transferring, acquisition, retention, or possession of any [biological agent](/usc/18/178.md?p=1), [toxin](/usc/18/178.md?p=2), or [delivery system](/usc/18/178.md?p=3) of a type or in a quantity that under the circumstances has no apparent justification for prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purposes.
- (b) **Affirmative Defense.—** It is an affirmative defense against an injunction under [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3) of this section that—
  - (1) the conduct sought to be enjoined is for a prophylactic, protective, or other peaceful purpose; and
  - (2) such [biological agent](/usc/18/178.md?p=1), [toxin](/usc/18/178.md?p=2), or [delivery system](/usc/18/178.md?p=3) is of a type and quantity reasonable for that purpose.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–298, § 3(a), May 22, 1990, 104 Stat. 202; amended Pub. L. 104–132, title V, § 511(b)(2), Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1284.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1996—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 104–132 inserted “threat,” after “attempt,”.