---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 6306"
description: "Penalty"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "63"
chapter_name: "INVESTIGATING MARINE CASUALTIES"
section: "6306"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 6306"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s6306"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "04775735829dea43a09270015e281a74402a7c694a7e0e159092d908999daa12"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "d2f6329b9ff0de1d339954ed9ef01a5f37107a411a84317f70762ec425151794"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 6306 - Penalty

## Text

A person attempting to coerce a witness, or to induce a witness, to testify falsely in connection with a marine casualty, or to induce a witness to leave the jurisdiction of the United States, shall be fined $5,000, imprisoned for one year, or both.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 538.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 630646:239(i) Section 6306 provides for a $5,000 criminal penalty for anyone attempting to coerce or to induce a witness to a marine casualty investigation to testify falsely or to leave the jurisdiction of the United States.