Federal Interpleader Act of 1936

416 approved May 8, 1926 and codified it as United States Judicial Code §41(26), and established the modern statutory interpleader.

The act was drafted by Zechariah Chafee, who considered this his foremost professional accomplishment.

[1] The Federal Interpleader Act was enacted to overcome the ruling of the United States Supreme Court in New York Life v. Dunlevy 241 U.S. 518, that for a party to be bound by an interpleader that party must be served process in a way that obtains personal jurisdiction by enabling nationwide service of process.

[2] The original act Federal Interpleader Act of 1917 allowed an insurance company, or fraternal benefit society subject to multiple claims on the same policy to file a suit in equity by a bill of interpleader in United States District Courts and providing nationwide service of process.

416 approved May 8, 1926, which added to those who can bring suit casualty company and surety company, empowered the court to enjoin claimant from proceeding in any state or other federal court on the same liability, adding provisions as to the proper venue for the interpleader in certain cases but required that there must be actual claims by eliminating the words "may claim" that were in the 1917 act.