Misprision of a felony is a crime at common law involving judicial procedure wherein an individual other than a principal or accessory before the fact fails to disclose or report knowledge that a felony has been committed. 18 U.S. Code § 4 stipulates that misprision of a felony has occurred when anyone “having knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States, conceals and does not as soon as possible make known the same to some judge or other person in civil or military authority under the United States.” This same section specifies that the perpetrator guilty of this crime shall be fined or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.
[Last updated in July of 2023 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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