Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§1858 Survey Marks Destroyed or Removed
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 91— PUBLIC LANDS › § 1858
Summary
If someone destroys, damages, moves, or removes a government survey marker on purpose — such as section corners, quarter‑section corners, meander posts, survey monuments, bench marks, or witness trees (including trees marked to show a survey line) — they can be punished. They may be fined under federal law, put in jail for up to six months, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1858
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever willfully destroys, defaces, changes, or removes to another place any section corner, quarter-section corner, or meander post, on any Government line of survey, or willfully cuts down any witness tree or any tree blazed to mark the line of a Government survey, or willfully defaces, changes, or removes any monument or bench mark of any Government survey, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 111 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 57, 35 Stat. 1099). Minor changes were made in phraseology.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $250”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1858
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60