Crimes Relating To Public Records, Documents, And Certificates - - CA Government

Section § 6200

This law states that any officer in charge of public records, maps, books, or court papers can face prison time if they, or someone they allow, intentionally mishandle or alter those documents. This includes stealing, removing, destroying, damaging, or falsifying any part of the item.

Every officer having the custody of any record, map, or book, or of any paper or proceeding of any court, filed or deposited in any public office, or placed in his or her hands for any purpose, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code for two, three, or four years if, as to the whole or any part of the record, map, book, paper, or proceeding, the officer willfully does or permits any other person to do any of the following:

(a) Steal, remove, or secrete.

(b) Destroy, mutilate, or deface.

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(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 129. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)

Section § 6201

If someone is not an officer referred to in Section 6200 and commits the acts described there, they can be punished. This punishment could include time in state prison, up to a year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both a fine and jail time.

Every person not an officer referred to in Section 6200, who is guilty of any of the acts specified in that section, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail not exceeding one year, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.

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(Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 130. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)

Section § 6203

If an officer legally allowed to issue certificates or official writings knowingly issues a document with false information, they commit a misdemeanor.

Prosecution for this misdemeanor must start within four years of the offense being discovered or completed, whichever is later.

This law's penalty is not the only possible consequence, and it doesn't restrict other legal actions that can be taken.

(a) Every officer authorized by law to make or give any certificate or other writing is guilty of a misdemeanor if he or she makes and delivers as true any certificate or writing containing statements which he or she knows to be false.

(b) Notwithstanding any other limitation of time described in Section 802 of the Penal Code, or any other provision of law, prosecution for a violation of this offense shall be commenced within four years after discovery of the commission of the offense, or within four years after the completion of the offense, whichever is later.

(c) The penalty provided by this section is not an exclusive remedy, and does not affect any other relief or remedy provided by law.

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(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 399, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2008.)