18 USC § 3285 - Criminal contempt

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s3285"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 3285 - Criminal contempt"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "3285"
section_name: "Criminal contempt"
chapter_number: 213
chapter_name: "LIMITATIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 828.)"
---


# § 3285. Criminal contempt

section 402 of this title

No proceeding for criminal contempt within  shall be instituted against any person, corporation or association unless begun within one year from the date of the act complained of; nor shall any such proceeding be a bar to any criminal prosecution for the same act.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 828.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Judicial Code and Judiciary (, ).

Word “criminal” was inserted before “contempt” in first line. Words “within ” were inserted after “contempt”.

The correct meaning and narrow application of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 390, are preserved, as section 389 of that title is incorporated in sections 402 and 3691 of this title.

Words “corporation or association” were inserted after “person”, thus embodying applicable definition of , U.S.C., 1940 ed. (See reviser’s note under .)