2005 California Penal Code Sections 577-583 CHAPTER 14. FRAUDULENT ISSUE OF DOCUMENTS OF TITLE TO MERCHANDISE

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 such company, to be forwarded as expressed in
such bill of lading, receipt or voucher, is punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison, or by a fine not exceeding one
thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
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 such person, and is not under his actual control at the time of
issuing such instrument, whether such instrument is issued to a
person as being the owner of such merchandise or as security for any
indebtedness, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, or
by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
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.
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 such 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 in the
state prison, or by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars
($1,000), or both.
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, without the
consent in writing thereto of the person holding such bill, receipt,
or voucher, is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, or by
a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), or both.
583.  Section 581 does not apply where property is demanded or sold
by virtue of process of law.