Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4953.1 (2026)

Retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official.

✓ current as of May 2026

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§ 4953.1. Retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official.

(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.

References in Text. The Traffic Court of Philadelphia, referred to in the def. of "judicial official" in subsec. (c), was abolished by Joint Resolution No.2 of 2016.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2014–2024 · leading case: United States v. Gregory Brown, 765 F.3d 185 (3rd Cir. 2014).

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United States v. Gregory Brown, 765 F.3d 185 (3rd Cir. 2014). “§ 2706; (3) a 2005 conviction also for making terroristic threats, in violation of § 2706; and (4) a 2005 conviction for retaliating against a judicial officer, in violation of 18 Pa. Cons.Stat. § 4953.1. The two 2005 convictions arose from the same conduct.”

Com. v. Gray, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). · cites it 2× “See 18 Pa.C.S. § 4953.1. In rejecting Appellant’s contention that the outcome would have been different with a more complete harm instruction, the trial court explained: And same for Merle Rice.”

Com. v. Dunbar, G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024). · cites it 2× “er 2, 2019, a criminal complaint was filed charging Appellant with nine counts of retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official1 and one count of barratry2 related, inter alia, to his filing of private criminal complaints with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office…”

Commonwealth v. Nevels III, C., Aplt. (Pa. 2020). “See Brief for Commonwealth at 28 (citing 18 Pa.C.S. §4953.1). [J-30-2020] - 5 in civil matters.”

G. Dunbar v. Super. Kauffman SCI Huntingdon (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2023). “This Court further directed that the Huntingdon County Common Pleas’ Prothonotary/Clerk of Courts enter Dunbar’s Notice of Appeal upon the docket and transmit the Notice of Appeal to this Court in accordance with Pennsylvania Rule of Appellate Procedure (Rule) 2 18 Pa.C.S. §…”

— 18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4953.1(a) — 3 cases

Com. v. Dunbar, G. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024). “er 2, 2019, a criminal complaint was filed charging Appellant with nine counts of retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official1 and one count of barratry2 related, inter alia, to his filing of private criminal complaints with the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office…”

Com. v. Gray, E. (Pa. Super. Ct. 2016). “See 18 Pa.C.S. § 4953.1. In rejecting Appellant’s contention that the outcome would have been different with a more complete harm instruction, the trial court explained: And same for Merle Rice.”

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