17 U.S.C. § 1203 — Civil remedies

(a) Civil actions. Anyone injured by a section 1201 or 1202 violation may bring a civil action in an appropriate United States district court. (b) Court powers. The court may (1) issue reasonable temporary or permanent injunctions to prevent or restrain a violation, but never impose a prior restraint on constitutionally protected speech or press; (2) while the case is pending, reasonably order impoundment of a device or product controlled by the alleged violator that it reasonably believes was involved; (3) award subsection (c) damages; (4) allow costs for or against any party other than the United States or its officer; (5) award reasonable attorney fees to the winner; and (6) in a final judgment finding a violation, order repair or destruction of an involved device or product controlled by the violator or impounded. (c) Damages. (1) Unless this title says otherwise, the violator owes either actual damages and additional profits or statutory damages. (2) If the injured party elects before final judgment, the court must award actual losses plus violator profits attributable to the violation not already counted. (3) Before final judgment, the party may elect statutory damages: for each section 1201 violation, $200–$2,500 per circumvention act, device, product, component, offer, or service performance, as just; for each section 1202 violation, $2,500–$25,000. (4) If the injured party proves, and the court finds, another violation within three years after a final judgment for a prior one, the court may increase damages up to three times. (5) The court may reduce or cancel damages if the violator proves, and the court finds, lack of awareness and no reason to believe the acts violated the law. For a nonprofit library, archives, educational institution, or public broadcasting entity, the court must cancel damages on that showing. “Public broadcasting entity” has the meaning in section 118(f).