(a) Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if he harms or attempts to harm another or the tangible property of another by any unlawful act in retaliation for anything lawfully done in the official capacity of a prosecutor or judicial official.
(b) Grading.--The offense is a felony of the second degree if:
(1) The actor employs force, violence or deception or attempts or threatens to employ force, violence or deception upon the prosecutor or judicial official or, with the requisite intent or knowledge, upon any other person.
(2) The actor's conduct is in furtherance of a conspiracy to retaliate against a prosecutor or judicial official.
(3) The actor solicits another to or accepts or agrees to accept any pecuniary or other benefit to retaliate against a prosecutor or judicial official.
(4) The actor has suffered any prior conviction for any violation of this title or any predecessor law hereto or has been convicted under any Federal statute or statute of any other state of an act which would be a violation of this title if committed in this Commonwealth.
(5) The actor causes property damage or loss in excess of $1,000.
Otherwise, the offense is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(c) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Judicial official." Any person who is a:
(1) judge of the court of common pleas;
(2) judge of the Commonwealth Court;
(3) judge of the Superior Court;
(4) justice of the Supreme Court;
(5) magisterial district judge;
(6) judge of the Pittsburgh Magistrate's Court;
(7) judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court;
(8) judge of the Traffic Court of Philadelphia; or
(9) master appointed by a judge of a court of common pleas.
"Prosecutor." Any person who is:
(1) an Attorney General;
(2) a deputy attorney general;
(3) a district attorney; or
(4) an assistant district attorney.
(Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1245, No.159, eff. 60 days; Nov. 30, 2004, P.L.1618, No.207, eff. 60 days)
2004 Amendment. Act 207 amended subsec. (c). See section 29 of Act 207 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to construction of law.
1998 Amendment. Act 159 added section 4953.1.
Structure Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Title 18 - CRIMES AND OFFENSES
Chapter 49 - Falsification and Intimidation
Section 4904 - Unsworn falsification to authorities
Section 4905 - False alarms to agencies of public safety
Section 4906 - False reports to law enforcement authorities
Section 4906.1 - False reports of child abuse
Section 4907 - Tampering with witnesses and informants (Repealed)
Section 4908 - Retaliation against witness or informant (Repealed)
Section 4909 - Witness or informant taking bribe
Section 4910 - Tampering with or fabricating physical evidence
Section 4911 - Tampering with public records or information
Section 4912 - Impersonating a public servant
Section 4913 - Impersonating a notary public or a holder of a professional or occupational license
Section 4914 - False identification to law enforcement authorities
Section 4915 - Failure to comply with registration of sexual offenders requirements (Expired)
Section 4915.1 - Failure to comply with registration requirements
Section 4915.2 - Failure to comply with 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 97 Subch. I registration requirements
Section 4952 - Intimidation of witnesses or victims
Section 4953 - Retaliation against witness, victim or party
Section 4953.1 - Retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official
Section 4954 - Protective orders
Section 4954.1 - Notice on protective order
Section 4955 - Violation of orders
Section 4956 - Pretrial release
Section 4957 - Protection of employment of crime victims, family members of victims and witnesses
Section 4958 - Intimidation, retaliation or obstruction in child abuse cases