Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§505 Seals of Courts; Signatures of Judges or Court Officers
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 25 — COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY › § 505
Summary
Faking a U.S. judge's or court officer's signature, or making or using a fake court seal to make a document look real or be used as proof, is a crime. Anyone who does or helps do this can be fined under federal law, jailed up to five years, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §505
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever forges the signature of any judge, register, or other officer of any court of the United States, or of any Territory thereof, or forges or counterfeits the seal of any such court, or knowingly concurs in using any such forged or counterfeit signature or seal, for the purpose of authenticating any proceeding or document, or tenders in evidence any such proceeding or document with a false or counterfeit signature of any such judge, register, or other officer, or a false or counterfeit seal of the court, subscribed or attached thereto, knowing such signature or seal to be false or counterfeit, 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., § 236 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 130, 35 Stat. 1112). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Minor changes of phraseology were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 505
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102