THE MICHIGAN PENAL CODE (EXCERPT) Act 328 of 1931

750.120 Jurors, appraisers, etc.; accepting bribe. Sec. 120.

Juror, etc., accepting bribe§Any person summoned as a juror or chosen or appointed as an appraiser, receiver, trustee, administrator, executor, commissioner, auditor, arbitrator or referee who shall corruptly take anything to give his verdict, award, or report, or who shall corruptly receive any gift or gratuity whatever, from a party to any suit, cause, or proceeding, for the trial or decision of which such juror shall have been summoned, or for the hearing or determination of which such appraiser, receiver, trustee, administrator, executor, commissioner, auditor, arbitrator, or referee shall have been chosen or appointed, shall be guilty of a felony.

History: 1931, Act 328, Eff. Sept. 18, 1931 ;-- CL 1948, 750.120 Former Law: See section 10 of Ch. 156 of R.S. 1846, being CL 1857, § 5829; CL 1871, § 7662; How., § 9244; CL 1897, § 11314; CL 1915, § 14981; CL 1929, § 16572; and Act 120 of 1875.

Understanding Michigan Law on Corruption of Appraisers, Receivers, Trustees, etc.: Section 750.119 of the Michigan Penal Code Simplified

Section 750.119 of the Michigan Penal Code is concerned with the criminal act of corrupting an appraiser, receiver, trustee, administrator, executor, commissioner, auditor, juror, arbitrator, or referee. Here's a simplified explanation:

Unlawful Actions:

• If someone tries to corrupt or successfully corrupts any of the listed individuals (appraiser, receiver, trustee, administrator, etc.) by giving, offering, or promising any gift or gratuity, it is against the law.
• This law applies when the intention of the gift or gratuity is to bias the opinion or influence the decision of the individual regarding any matter that's pending in a court, before an inquest, or any decision for which the individual was appointed or chosen.

Penalties:

• If the person breaks this law in a situation other than a criminal case where the maximum prison sentence for the violation is over 10 years, or where the violation could be punished by imprisonment for life or any number of years, they are guilty of a felony. The punishment could be up to 4 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
• If the law is broken in a criminal case where the maximum prison sentence for the violation is over 10 years, or where the violation could be punished by imprisonment for life or any number of years, the person is guilty of a felony. The punishment could be up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both.

Additional Information:

• This law does not prevent someone from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other crime, including any other violation of the law that comes from the same transaction as the violation of this section.
• The court may order that a prison term imposed for violating this section be served consecutively to a prison term imposed for any other crime, including any other violation of the law that comes from the same transaction as the violation of this section.

The Importance of Understanding Section 750.119

This law is critical because it protects the integrity of various legal and professional roles. It deters potential attempts at corrupting these professionals by making it a crime to offer them bribes in order to influence their decisions. The severity of the punishment reflects the importance of trust and impartiality in these roles.