18 U.S.C. § 3237 - Offenses begun in one district and completed in another

• Cite as: 18 U.S.C. § 3237

(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided by enactment of Congress, any offense against the United States begun in one district and completed in another, or committed in more than one district, may be inquired of and prosecuted in any district in which such offense was begun, continued, or completed.

Any offense involving the use of the mails, transportation in interstate or foreign commerce, or the importation of an object or person into the United States is a continuing offense and, except as otherwise expressly provided by enactment of Congress, may be inquired of and prosecuted in any district from, through, or into which such commerce, mail matter, or imported object or person moves.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), where an offense is described in section 7203 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or where venue for prosecution of an offense described in section 7201 or 7206(1), (2), or (5) of such Code (whether or not the offense is also described in another provision of law) is based solely on a mailing to the Internal Revenue Service, and prosecution is begun in a judicial district other than the judicial district in which the defendant resides, he may upon motion filed in the district in which the prosecution is begun, elect to be tried in the district in which he was residing at the time the alleged offense was committed: Provided, That the motion is filed within twenty days after arraignment of the defendant upon indictment or information.

Cite as 18 U.S.C. § 3237

Source: June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 826; Pub. L. 85-595, Aug. 6, 1958, 72 Stat. 512; Pub. L. 89-713, §2, Nov. 2, 1966, 80 Stat. 1108; Pub. L. 98-369, div. A, title I, §162, July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 697; Pub. L. 98-473, title II, §1204(a), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2152; Pub. L. 99-514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 12/7/2021

HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES

Based on section 103 of title 28, U.S.C., 1940 ed., Judicial Code and Judiciary (Mar. 3, 1911, ch. 231, §42, 36 Stat. 1100).

Section was completely rewritten to clarify legislative intent and in order to omit special venue provisions from many sections.