Definitions — Us Code Code § 3172

Us Code Code § 3172 — Definitions. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 3172. Definitions

As used in this chapter—

(1) the terms "judge" or "judicial officer" mean, unless otherwise indicated, any United States magistrate judge, Federal district judge, and

(2) the term "offense" means any Federal criminal offense which is in violation of any Act of Congress and is triable by any court established by Act of Congress (other than a Class B or C misdemeanor or an infraction, or an offense triable by court-martial, military commission, provost court, or other military tribunal).

(Added Pub. L. 93–619, title I, §101, Jan. 3, 1975, 88 Stat. 2085; amended Pub. L. 98–473, title II, §223(i), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2029; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)


Editorial Notes

Amendments

1984—Par. (2). Pub. L. 98–473 substituted "Class B or C misdemeanor or an infraction" for "petty offense as defined in section 1(3) of this title".


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"United States magistrate judge" substituted for "United States magistrate" in par. (1) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–473 effective Nov. 1, 1987, and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of such amendment, see section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3551 of this title.

About This Section

18 U.S.C. § 3172 is part of Title 18 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 18 U.S.C. § 3172. 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.

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Sources

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

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