18 U.S.C. § 1659
Section 1659 · Attack to plunder vessel
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 7 court decisions — leading case United States v. Dire (2012)
Most recently applied in United States v. Said (August 2015)
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.
Whoever, upon the high seas or other waters within the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the United States, by surprise or open force, maliciously attacks or sets upon any vessel belonging to another, with an intent unlawfully to plunder the same, or to despoil any owner thereof of any moneys, goods, or merchandise laden on board thereof, 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., §489 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §298, 35 Stat. 1147).
Mandatory punishment provisions were rephrased in the alternative.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Cross References
Conspiracy to destroy vessels, see section 2271 of this title.