Title 43Public LandsRelease 119-73

§1063 Obstruction of settlement on or transit over public lands

Title 43 › Chapter CHAPTER 25— - UNLAWFUL INCLOSURES OR OCCUPANCY; OBSTRUCTING SETTLEMENT OR TRANSIT › § 1063

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Do not use force, threats, fences, or other illegal means to stop people from entering, settling on, or passing through public lands open to settlement under U.S. land laws. This does not affect the rights of people who in good faith entered, improved, or occupied the land and claim title.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §1063

Public Lands — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

No person, by force, threats, intimidation, or by any fencing or inclosing, or any other unlawful means, shall prevent or obstruct, or shall combine and confederate with others to prevent or obstruct, any person from peaceably entering upon or establishing a settlement or residence on any tract of public land subject to settlement or entry under the public land laws of the United States, or shall prevent or obstruct free passage or transit over or through the public lands: Provided, This section shall not be held to affect the right or title of persons, who have gone upon, improved, or occupied said lands under the land laws of the United States, claiming title thereto, in good faith.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The public land laws of the United States, referred to in text, are classified generally to this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 1063

Title 43Public Lands

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73