---
kind: "section"
citation: "28 U.S.C. § 3103"
title: "28"
title_heading: "Judiciary and Judicial Procedure"
number: "3103"
heading: "Receivership"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/28/3103"
units:
  - "Part VI — Particular Proceedings"
  - "Chapter 176 — Federal Debt Collection Procedure"
  - "Subchapter B — Prejudgment Remedies"
---

# §3103. Receivership

- (a) **Appointment of a Receiver.—** If the requirements of [section 3101](/usc/28/3101.md) are satisfied, a [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) may appoint a receiver for [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) in which the [debtor](/usc/28/3002.md?p=4) has a substantial nonexempt interest if the [United States](/usc/28/3002.md?p=15) shows reasonable cause to believe that there is a substantial danger that the [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) will be removed from the jurisdiction of the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2), lost, concealed, materially injured or damaged, or mismanaged.
- (b) **Powers of Receiver.—**
  - (1) The appointing [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) may authorize a receiver—
    - (A) to take possession of real and personal [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) and sue for, collect, and sell obligations upon such conditions and for such purposes as the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) shall direct; and
    - (B) to administer, collect, improve, lease, repair or sell pursuant to [section 3007](/usc/28/3007.md) such real and personal [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) as the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) shall direct.

    A receiver appointed to manage residential or commercial [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) shall have demonstrable expertise in the management of these types of [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12).

  - (2) Unless expressly authorized by order of the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2), a receiver shall have no power to employ attorneys, accountants, appraisers, auctioneers, or other professional [persons](/usc/28/3002.md?p=10).
- (c) **Duration of Receivership.—** A receivership shall not continue past the entry of [judgment](/usc/28/3002.md?p=8), or the conclusion of an appeal of such [judgment](/usc/28/3002.md?p=8), unless the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) orders it continued under [section 3203(e)](/usc/28/3203.md?p=e) or unless the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) otherwise directs its continuation.
- (d) **Accounts; Requirement to Report.—** A receiver shall keep written accounts itemizing receipts and expenditures, describing the [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12) and naming the depository of receivership funds. The receiver’s accounts shall be open to inspection by any [person](/usc/28/3002.md?p=10) having an apparent interest in the [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12). The receiver shall file reports at regular intervals as directed by the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) and shall serve the [debtor](/usc/28/3002.md?p=4) and the [United States](/usc/28/3002.md?p=15) with a copy thereof.
- (e) **Modification of Powers; Removal.—** On motion of the receiver or on its own initiative, the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) which appointed the receiver may remove the receiver or modify the receiver’s powers at any time.
- (f) **Priority.—** If more than one [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) appoints a receiver for particular [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12), the receiver first qualifying under law shall be entitled to take possession, control, or custody of the [property](/usc/28/3002.md?p=12).
- (g) **Compensation of Receivers.—**
  - (1) A receiver is entitled to such commissions, not exceeding 5 percent of the sums received and disbursed by him, as the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) allows unless the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) otherwise directs.
  - (2) If, at the termination of a receivership, there are no funds in the hands of a receiver, the [court](/usc/28/3002.md?p=2) may fix the compensation of the receiver in accordance with the services rendered and may direct the party who moved for the appointment of the receiver to pay such compensation in addition to the necessary expenditures incurred by the receiver which remain unpaid.
  - (3) At the termination of a receivership, the receiver shall file a final accounting of the receipts and disbursements and apply for compensation setting forth the amount sought and the services rendered by the receiver.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXVI, § 3611, Nov. 29, 1990, 104 Stat. 4944.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 180 days after Nov. 29, 1990, and applicable with respect to certain actions for debts owed the United States pending in court on that effective date, see section 3631 of Pub. L. 101–647, set out as a note under section 3001 of this title.