Contempt
If someone is called to appear at a legal hearing and refuses to show up, refuses to answer questions, refuses to take an oath, or refuses to hand over documents without a good reason, that person can be charged with a misdemeanor. The punishment can be a fine of up to $500, up to one year in jail, or both. Each day the person keeps refusing counts as a separate offense.
287.570. — . — If any person to appear at any or , fails to obey the command of such without reasonable cause, or if any person at attendance at any hearing or proceeding shall without reasonable cause, refuse to be sworn, or to be examined, or to a question, or to produce a book or paper or to or swear to his , he shall be guilty of a , and on thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and may be therefor in any , and in case of a , each day's thereof shall be, and deemed to be, a separate and distinct .
(RSMo 1939 § 3741)
Prior revision: 1929 § 3351
(1959) charging refusal of witness to answer question held adequate, but where to dismiss was also based on witness' right to refuse on ground of , the information was properly dismissed. State v. Topel (A.), 322 S.W.2d 160.
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Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.