                 TITLE 18--CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
 
                             PART I--CRIMES
 
                   CHAPTER 73--OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE
 
Sec. 1501. Assault on process server

    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.

(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.


                      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'.''
