18 U.S.C. § 2231
Section 2231 · Assault or resistance
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 22 court decisions — leading case United States v. New York Telephone Co. (1977)
Most recently applied in Mengert v. United States (October 2024)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
(a) Whoever forcibly assaults, resists, opposes, prevents, impedes, intimidates, or interferes with any person authorized to serve or execute search warrants or to make searches and seizures while engaged in the performance of his duties with regard thereto or on account of the performance of such duties, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both; and—
(b) Whoever, in committing any act in violation of this section, uses any deadly or dangerous weapon, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§121, 253, 254, 628 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §65, 35 Stat. 1100; June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title XI, §18, 40 Stat. 230; May 18, 1934, ch. 299, §§1, 2, 48 Stat. 780, 781; Feb. 8, 1936, ch. 40, 49 Stat. 1105; June 26, 1936, ch. 830, title I, §3, 49 Stat. 1940; Reorg. Plan No. II, §4(f), eff. July 1, 1939, 4 Fed. Reg. 2731, 53 Stat. 1433; June 13, 1940, ch. 359, 54 Stat. 391).
Section consolidates section 628 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., and the portion of section 121 of said title relating to resistance of persons authorized to make searches.
Punishment provided by section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., was $2,000 fine and imprisonment for 1 year. Section 628 of said title was part of Espionage Act of June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title XIII, §1, 40 Stat. 231, prescribing fine of not more than $1,000 and imprisonment not exceeding 2 years for resisting service, execution of search warrant, or assaulting an officer.
Section 253 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., enumerated United States marshals, deputies, and assistants, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, and numerous other officers, the killing of whom is denounced as a Federal offense.
Section 254 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., denounced the assaulting of such officers and prescribed punishment therefor without regard to nature of duties involved or performed.
In other words sections 253 and 254 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were not limited to officers executing search warrants.
Officers enumerated in section 253 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., were substantially all those who serve or execute search warrants. Therefore, the language and punishment under section 254 of said title constitute basis of this revised section. No change in legislative intent is involved, as the amendments of sections 253 and 254 of said title are the latest enactments.
The provisions of section 121 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., relating to rescue of property from seizing officer or its destruction to prevent seizure, are incorporated in sections 2232 and 2233 of this title.
Minor changes were made in translation and phraseology.
Amendments
1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(K), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–322, §330016(1)(L), substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $10,000”.
Canal Zone
Applicability of section to Canal Zone, see section 14 of this title.
Cross References
Assaulting or resisting certain officers or employees, see section 111 of this title.
Jurisdiction of offenses, see section 3241 of this title.
Protection of officers and employees of United States, see section 1114 of this title.