CITE

    18 USC Sec. 1501                                            01/05/2009

EXPCITE

    TITLE 18 - CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
    PART I - CRIMES
    CHAPTER 73 - OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE

HEAD

    Sec. 1501. Assault on process server

STATUTE

      Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs, resists, or opposes
    any officer of the United States, or other person duly authorized,
    in serving, or attempting to serve or execute, any legal or
    judicial writ or process of any court of the United States, or
    United States magistrate judge; or
      Whoever assaults, beats, or wounds any officer or other person
    duly authorized, knowing him to be such officer, or other person so
    duly authorized, in serving or executing any such writ, rule,
    order, process, warrant, or other legal or judicial writ or process
    -
      Shall, except as otherwise provided by law, be fined under this
    title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

SOURCE

    (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 769; Pub. L. 90-578, title IV,
    Sec. 402(b)(2), Oct. 17, 1968, 82 Stat. 1118; Pub. L. 101-650,
    title III, Sec. 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117; Pub. L. 103-322,
    title XXXIII, Sec. 330016(1)(F), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

      Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Sec. 245 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch.
    321, Sec. 140, 35 Stat. 1114).
      The phrase "Except as otherwise expressly provided by law" was
    inserted because sections 2231, 2232, and 2233 of this title
    provide greater penalties for obstructing service of search
    warrants.
      Mandatory provisions were rephrased in the alternative.
      Minor changes were made in phraseology.
                                AMENDMENTS
      1994 - Pub. L. 103-322 substituted "fined under this title" for
    "fined not more than $300" in last par.

CHANGE OF NAME

      "United States magistrate judge" substituted for "United States
    magistrate" in text pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101-650, set
    out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial
    Procedure. Previously, "United States magistrate" substituted for
    "United States commissioner" pursuant to Pub. L. 90-578. See
    chapter 43 (Sec. 631 et seq.) of Title 28.
      Reference to United States magistrate or to magistrate deemed to
    refer to United States magistrate judge pursuant to section 321 of
    Pub. L. 101-650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28.

MISCELLANEOUS

                       SHORT TITLE OF 2002 AMENDMENT
      Pub. L. 107-204, title VIII, Sec. 801, July 30, 2002, 116 Stat.
    800, provided that: "This title [enacting sections 1348, 1514A,
    1519, and 1520 of this title, amending section 523 of Title 11,
    Bankruptcy, and section 1658 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial
    Procedure, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections
    994 and 1658 of Title 28] may be cited as the 'Corporate and
    Criminal Fraud Accountability Act of 2002'."
                       SHORT TITLE OF 1982 AMENDMENT
      Pub. L. 97-291, Sec. 1, Oct. 12, 1982, 96 Stat. 1248, provided:
    "That this Act [enacting sections 1512 to 1515, 3579, and 3580 of
    this title, amending sections 1503, 1505, 1510, and 3146 of this
    title and Rule 32 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and
    enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 1512 and 3579
    of this title] may be cited as the 'Victim and Witness Protection
    Act of 1982'."