Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§4 Misprision of felony

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 1— - GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 4

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

If you know someone committed a federal felony and you hide it instead of telling a judge or other U.S. official right away, you can be fined, jailed for up to three years, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §4

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C. 1940 ed., § 251 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 146, 35 Stat. 1114). Changes in phraseology only.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 4

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73