PRINTER'S NO. 122
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
212
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF AND COSTA, JANUARY 15, 2015
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JANUARY 15, 2015
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in falsification and intimidation,
prohibiting the simulation of legal process and related acts
and the use of unofficial license plates; and imposing
penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding sections to read:
§ 4916. Simulated legal process, impersonating public official
or legal tribunal and hindering public official.
(a) Simulated legal process.--A person who simulates legal
process, including, but not limited to, actions affecting title
to real or personal property, indictments, subpoenas, warrants,
injunctions, liens, orders, judgments or any legal documents or
proceedings, knowing or having reason to know that the contents
of the documents or proceedings or basis for the action to be
fraudulent commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(b) Impersonating public official or legal tribunal.--A
person who deliberately impersonates or falsely acts as a public
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official or legal tribunal, including, but not limited to, a
judge, prosecutor, sheriff, deputy, constable or other court
personnel or law enforcement authority in connection with or
relating to any legal process affecting any person or property
or otherwise takes any action under color of law against any
person or property commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(c) Hindering public official.--A person who falsely under
color of law attempts to influence, intimidate or hinder a
public official or law enforcement officer in the discharge of
his official duties by threat of or actual physical violence,
harassment, through simulated legal process or by other unlawful
act commits a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(d) Exceptions.--
(1) Nothing in this section shall make unlawful an act
of a law enforcement officer, public official or legal
tribunal which is performed under lawful authority.
(2) Nothing in this section shall prohibit persons from
assembling freely to express opinions or designate group
affiliation or association.
(3) Nothing in this section shall prohibit or in any way
limit a person's lawful and legitimate access to the courts
or prevent a person from instituting or responding to
legitimate and lawful legal process.
(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
" Legal process. " A document or order issued by a court or
other legal tribunal filed or recorded for the purpose of
exercising jurisdiction or presenting a claim against a person
or property for the purpose of directing a person to appear
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before a court or other legal tribunal or for the purpose of
directing a person to perform or refrain from performing a
specified act. The term includes, but is not limited to, a
summons, lien, complaint, warrant, injunction, writ, notice,
pleading, subpoena or order.
" Legal tribunal. " A court, magisterial district judge or
other judicial officer vested with the power to enter an order
in a matter. The term includes a government unit when performing
quasi-judicial functions.
§ 4917. Unofficial license plates.
A person who operates a vehicle with an unofficial license
plate not authorized under 75 Pa.C.S. (relating to vehicles) or
the law of another jurisdiction commits a misdemeanor of the
third degree.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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