Washington Code 38.38.412 – Refusal to appear or testify — Penalty
Current as of: 2023 | Check for updates
|
Other versions
(1) Any person not subject to this code who:
Terms Used In Washington Code 38.38.412
- Code: means this chapter. See Washington Code 38.38.004
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Deposition: An oral statement made before an officer authorized by law to administer oaths. Such statements are often taken to examine potential witnesses, to obtain discovery, or to be used later in trial.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Military: refers to any or all of the armed forces. See Washington Code 38.38.004
- Military court: means a court-martial or a court of inquiry. See Washington Code 38.38.004
- Officer: means commissioned or warrant officer. See Washington Code 38.38.004
- person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
(a) Has been duly subpoenaed to appear as a witness or to produce books and records before a court-martial, military commission, court of inquiry, or any other military court or board, or before any military or civil officer designated to take a deposition to be read in evidence before such a court, commission, or board;
(b) Has been duly paid or tendered the fees and mileage of a witness at the rates allowed to witnesses attending the superior court of the state; and
(c) Willfully neglects or refuses to appear, or refuses to qualify as a witness or to testify or to produce any evidence which that person may have been legally subpoenaed to produce;
is guilty of an offense against the state.
(2) Any person who commits an offense named in subsection (1) of this section shall be tried before the superior court of this state having jurisdiction and jurisdiction is conferred upon those courts for that purpose. Upon conviction, such a person shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.
(3) The prosecuting attorney in any such court, upon the certification of the facts by the military court, commission, court of inquiry, or board, shall prosecute any person violating this section.