Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1501: Assault on process server

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

It is a crime to knowingly obstruct, resist, or assault a process server or authorized officer while serving legal documents or executing court orders.

Read the full statutory text
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.

Verify at the official source: Federal legislative text

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.