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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>70926</law_id><section_number>18.2-456</section_number><catch_line>Cases in which courts and judges may punish summarily for contempt</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>16.1-248.1</reference><reference>16.1-292</reference><reference>16.1-69.24</reference><reference>18.2-457</reference><reference>19.2-267.1</reference><reference>19.2-390</reference><reference>19.2-392</reference><reference>65.2-202</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="10">Crimes Against the Administration of Justice</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="5">Contempt of Court</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The <span class="dictionary">courts</span> and <span class="dictionary">judges</span> may <span class="dictionary">issue</span> <span class="dictionary">attachments</span> for <span class="dictionary">contempt</span>, and punish them summarily, only in the following cases: <a id="paragraph-255759" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Misbehavior in the presence of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or so near thereto as to obstruct or interrupt the administration of justice; <a id="paragraph-255760" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Violence, or threats of violence, to a <span class="dictionary">judge</span> or officer of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or to a juror, <span class="dictionary">witness</span>, or <span class="dictionary">party</span> going to, attending, or returning from the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, for or in respect of any act or proceeding had, or to be had, in such <span class="dictionary">court</span>; <a id="paragraph-255761" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Vile, contemptuous, or insulting language addressed to or published of a <span class="dictionary">judge</span> for or in respect of any act or proceeding had, or to be had, in such <span class="dictionary">court</span>, or like language used in his presence and intended for his <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> for or in respect of such act or proceeding; <a id="paragraph-255762" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Misbehavior of an officer of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> in his official character; <a id="paragraph-255763" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Disobedience or resistance of an officer of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>, juror, <span class="dictionary">witness</span>, or other person to any lawful process, <span class="dictionary">judgment</span>, <span class="dictionary">decree</span>, or <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span>; and <a id="paragraph-255764" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Willful failure to appear before any <span class="dictionary">court</span> or judicial officer as required after having been charged with a <span class="dictionary">felony</span> <span class="dictionary">offense</span> or <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span> <span class="dictionary">offense</span> or released on a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> pursuant to &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Issuance of summons instead of warrant in certain cases" href="/19.2-73/">19.2-73</a> or <a class="law" title="Issuance and service of summons in place of warrant in misdemeanor case; issuance of summons by special conservators of the peace" href="/19.2-74/">19.2-74</a>. <a id="paragraph-255765" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#A6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The <span class="dictionary">judge</span> shall indicate, in writing, under which subdivision in subsection A a person is being charged and punished for <span class="dictionary">contempt</span>. <a id="paragraph-255766" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Nothing in subdivision A 6 shall be construed to prohibit <span class="dictionary">prosecution</span> under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Penalties for failure to appear" href="/19.2-128/">19.2-128</a>. The provisions of subdivision A 6 shall not apply to any person who is (i) incarcerated in any correctional facility or (ii) (a) detained in any state or federal facility or (b) in the <span class="dictionary">custody</span> of a <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer at the time such person is required to appear before any <span class="dictionary">court</span> or judicial officer. <a id="paragraph-255767" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-456/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 18.1-292; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 2019, c. 708; 2024, c. 109.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
