— Also termed obstructing justice; obstructing public justice. [Cases: Obstructing Justice 1; Sentencing and Punishment 761. C.J.S. Obstructing Justice or Governmental Administration §§ 1, 3–14, 16, 18–20, 25–30, 33, 35–36, 38.]
“The goal, — to proscribe every wilful act of corruption, intimidation or force which tends in any way to distort or impede the administration of law either civil or criminal — has been very largely attained, partly by aid of legislation. And any punishable misdeed of such a nature which is not recognized as a distinct crime, is usually called ‘obstruction of justice,’ or ‘obstructing justice,’ — a common-law misdemeanor.” Rollin M. Perkins & Ronald N. Boyce, Criminal Law 552 (3d ed. 1982).
