---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 1506"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "1506"
heading: "Theft or alteration of record or process; false bail"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/1506"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 73 — Obstruction of Justice"
---

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


[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) feloniously steals, takes away, alters, falsifies, or otherwise avoids any record, writ, process, or other proceeding, in any court of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), whereby any judgment is reversed, made void, or does not take effect; or

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) acknowledges, or procures to be acknowledged in any such court, any recognizance, bail, or judgment, in the name of any other [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) 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.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 233 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 127, 35 Stat. 1111).

The term of imprisonment was reduced from 7 to 5 years, to conform the punishment with like ones for similar offenses. (See section 1503 of this title.)

Minor changes were made in phraseology.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000” in last par.