TITLE 18

CRIMES AND PUNISHMENTS

CHAPTER 18

CONTEMPTS

18-1801.  Criminal contempts. Every person guilty of any contempt of court, of either of the following kinds, is guilty of a misdemeanor:

1.  Disorderly, contemptuous or insolent behavior committed during the sitting of any court of justice, in immediate view and presence of the court and directly tending to interrupt its proceedings or to impair the respect due to its authority.

2.  Behavior of the like character committed in the presence of any referee, while actually engaged in any trial or hearing, pursuant to the order of any court, or in the presence of any jury, while actually sitting for the trial of a cause, or upon any inquest or other proceeding authorized by law.

3.  Any breach of the peace, noise or other disturbance directly tending to interrupt the proceedings of any court.

4.  Wilful disobedience of any process or order lawfully issued by any court.

5.  Resistance wilfully offered by any person to the lawful order or process of any court.

6.  The contumacious and unlawful refusal of any person to be sworn as a witness; or, when so sworn, the like refusal to answer any material question.

History:

[18-1801, added 1972, ch. 336, sec. 1, p. 879; am. 1994, ch. 131, sec. 8, p. 298.]