O65 Obstruction of Correspondence - Taking of Mail
Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.
- Instruction
- O65
- Statute
- 18 U.S.C. § 1702
- Edition
- Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (Criminal Cases), revised July 2026
- Official source
- Official PDF, page 439
Elements
Quoted word for word from the official text. Eleventh Circuit Pattern Jury Instructions (Criminal Cases), revised July 2026.
The Defendant can be found guilty of this crime only if all the following facts are proved beyond a reasonable doubt:
(1) the Defendant knowingly took mail [out of a post-office] [out of an authorized depository for mail matter] [from a letter or mail carrier] [that had been in the custody of any letter or mail carrier] before it was delivered to the person to whom it was addressed; and
(2) the Defendant acted knowingly and intended to obstruct delivery.
Related practice page
Federal Mail Theft Charges in Miami
Official source: Official PDF, page 439
Official jury instruction text reproduced for information. It is not legal advice; the instruction given in a case depends on the facts and the court.