Penalties — Us Code Code § 1596

Us Code Code § 1596 — Penalties. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 1596. Penalties

(a) Any person who knowingly, or as a result either of gross negligence or of a failure to make a reasonable effort to inform himself of the pertinent facts, violates any provision of this chapter or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall pay a fine of not more than $1,000, for the first offense, and upon conviction for each subsequent offense not more than $2,000.

(b) Any person who violates any provision of this chapter or the rules and regulations made and promulgated thereunder shall forfeit to the United States a sum, not less than $25 or more than $500, for each such violation, which forfeiture shall be recoverable in a civil suit brought in the name of the United States.

(Aug. 9, 1939, ch. 615, title IV, §406, 53 Stat. 1286; July 9, 1956, ch. 520, §1, 70 Stat. 508.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1956—Act July 9, 1956, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted "knowingly or as a result either of gross negligence or of a failure to make a reasonable effort to inform himself of the pertinent facts," and added subsec. (b).


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1956 Amendment

Act July 9, 1956, ch. 520, §4, 70 Stat. 508, provided that: "The amendments made by this Act [amending sections 1574, 1596, and 1602 of this title] shall be applicable only with respect to violations occurring after the enactment of this Act [July 9, 1956]."

Effective Date

See section 1610 of this title.

About This Section

7 U.S.C. § 1596 is part of Title 7 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 7 U.S.C. § 1596. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

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Common questions

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It addresses "Penalties". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

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