Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§1506 Theft or Alteration of Record or Process; False Bail
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 73— OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE › § 1506
Summary
It's a crime: stealing, changing, or faking U.S. court records, or signing another person's bail without their consent; punishable by a fine, up to five years' prison, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1506
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever feloniously steals, takes away, alters, falsifies, or otherwise avoids any record, writ, process, or other proceeding, in any court of the United States, whereby any judgment is reversed, made void, or does not take effect; or Whoever acknowledges, or procures to be acknowledged in any such court, any recognizance, bail, or judgment, in the name of any other person not privy or consenting to the same— Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 233 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 127, 35 Stat. 1111). The term of imprisonment was reduced from 7 to 5 years, to conform the punishment with like ones for similar offenses. (See section 1503 of this title.) Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in last par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1506
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60