18 USC § 1506 - Theft or alteration of record or process; false bail

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s1506"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 1506 - Theft or alteration of record or process; false bail"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "1506"
section_name: "Theft or alteration of record or process; false bail"
chapter_number: 73
chapter_name: "OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
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. 770; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)"
---


# § 1506. Theft or alteration of record or process; false bail

Whoever feloniously steals, takes away, alters, falsifies, or otherwise avoids any record, writ, process, or other proceeding, in any court of the United States, whereby any judgment is reversed, made void, or does not take effect; or

Whoever acknowledges, or procures to be acknowledged in any such court, any recognizance, bail, or judgment, in the name of any other person not privy or consenting to the same—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 770; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 233 (, ).

The term of imprisonment was reduced from 7 to 5 years, to conform the punishment with like ones for similar offenses. (See .)

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in last par.