CHAPTER 14. Fraudulent Issue of Documents of Title to Merchandise [577. - 583.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 14.
in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 577. Section 577.

Every person, being the master, owner or agent of any vessel, or officer or agent of any railroad, express or transportation company, or otherwise being or representing any carrier, who delivers any bill of lading, receipt or other voucher, by which it appears that any merchandise of any description has been shipped on board any vessel, or delivered to any railroad, express or transportation company or other carrier, unless the same has been so shipped or delivered, and is at the time actually under the control of such carrier or the master, owner or agent of such vessel, or of some officer or agent of that company, to be forwarded as expressed in that bill of lading, receipt or voucher, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 578. Section 578.

Every person carrying on the business of a warehouseman, wharfinger, or other depositary of property, who issues any receipt, bill of lading, or other voucher for any merchandise of any description, which has not been actually received upon the premises of that person, and is not under his or her actual control at the time of issuing such instrument, whether that instrument is issued to a person as being the owner of that merchandise or as security for any indebtedness, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 579. Section 579.

No person shall be convicted of an offense under Section 577 or 578 by reason that the contents of any barrel, box, case, cask, or other vessel or package mentioned in the bill of lading, receipt, or other voucher did not correspond with the description given in the instrument of the merchandise received, if the description corresponded substantially with the marks, labels, or brands upon the outside of the vessel or package, unless it appears that the accused knew that the marks, labels, or brands were untrue.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 580. Section 580.

Every person mentioned in this chapter, who issues any second or duplicate receipt or voucher, of a kind specified therein, at a time while any former receipt or voucher for the merchandise specified in that second receipt is outstanding and uncanceled, without writing across the face of the same the word “Duplicate,” in a plain and legible manner, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 581. Section 581.

Every person mentioned in this chapter, who sells, hypothecates, or pledges any merchandise for which any bill of lading, receipt, or voucher has been issued by him or her, without the consent in writing thereto of the person holding that bill, receipt, or voucher, is punishable by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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