When understanding Obstruction of Justice, a good starting point is comparing and contrasting federal and Arizona state laws.

Federal Law

At the federal level, obstruction statutes are found within 18 U.S.C. § 1501-1521. These laws encompass a broad range of activities that could interfere with the administration of justice, including but not limited to influencing a juror outside of the courtroom, resisting a federal officer, or tampering with a witness.

The following list provides some examples of how one could potentially obstruct justice:

• Hindering a federal process server or writ server.
• Resisting an extradition agent or creating obstructions for them.
• Attempting to affect or harm a court officer or juror.
• Influencing a juror through written communication.
• Obstructing proceedings in front of departments, agencies, or committees.
• Theft or modification of court records.
• Holding demonstrations or parades to hinder the administration of justice.
• Creating obstructions for court orders.
• Interfering with criminal investigations.
• Tampering with witnesses, victims, or informants.
• Retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant.

Arizona State Law

In contrast to federal law, Arizona addresses the issue of obstructing justice under Arizona Revised Statutes § 13-2409 and § 13-2810. Although the language and specifics of these state statutes differ somewhat, their intent aligns closely with their federal counterparts—aiming to deter and penalize anyone from purposefully obstructing the course of justice.

Arizona Revised Statute § 13-2409 primarily focuses on "Obstructing criminal investigations or prosecutions." This statute targets actions that interfere with ongoing criminal investigations or proceedings, encompassing behaviors such as tampering with evidence, intimidating witnesses, or giving false information to impede an investigation or prosecution.