Federal · Title 47 — Telecommunications

47 U.S.C. § 22: Negligent injury to submarine cables; punishment

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

A person who negligently breaks or damages a submarine cable and disrupts telegraph communication commits a misdemeanor punishable by up to three months imprisonment, a fine up to $500, or both.

Read the full statutory text

Any person who by culpable negligence shall break or injure a submarine cable in such manner as to interrupt or embarrass, in whole or in part, telegraphic communication, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months, or to a fine not exceeding $500, or to both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.

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.