Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§958 Commission to Serve Against Friendly Nation
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 45 — FOREIGN RELATIONS › § 958
Summary
U.S. citizens inside U.S. who accept foreign war commissions to fight against nations at peace with U.S. can be fined or jailed up to 3 years.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §958
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Any citizen of the United States who, within the jurisdiction thereof, accepts and exercises a commission to serve a foreign prince, state, colony, district, or people, in war, against any prince, state, colony, district, or people, with whom the United States is at peace, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 21 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 9, 35 Stat. 1089). Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative. Minor changes in phraseology were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $2,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 958
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102