Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§2382 Misprision of Treason
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 115 — TREASON, SEDITION, AND SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES › § 2382
Summary
Anyone who owes allegiance to the U.S., knows about treason, and doesn't promptly tell federal or state officials can be fined, imprisoned for up to seven years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §2382
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States and having knowledge of the commission of any treason against them, conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the President or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor or to some judge or justice of a particular State, is guilty of misprision of treason and shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than seven years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 3 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 3, 35 Stat. 1088). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 2382
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102