(a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), if the contempt consists of the omission to perform an act which is yet in the power of the person to perform, he or she may be imprisoned until he or she has performed it, and in that case the act shall be specified in the warrant of commitment.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a court shall not imprison or otherwise confine or place in custody the victim of a sexual assault or domestic violence crime for contempt if the contempt consists of refusing to testify concerning that sexual assault or domestic violence crime. Before finding a victim of a domestic violence crime in contempt as described in this section, the court may refer the victim for consultation with a domestic violence counselor. All communications between the victim and the domestic violence counselor that occur as a result of that referral shall remain confidential under § 1037.2 of the Evidence Code.

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Terms Used In California Code of Civil Procedure 1219

  • 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.
  • Person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See California Code of Civil Procedure 17

(c) Notwithstanding any other law, a court shall not imprison, hold in physical confinement, or otherwise confine or place in custody a minor for contempt if the contempt consists of the minor’s failure to comply with a court order pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 601 of, or Section 727 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code, if the minor was adjudged a ward of the court on the ground that he or she is a person described in subdivision (b) of § 601 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. Upon a finding of contempt of court, the court may issue any other lawful order, as necessary, to secure the minor’s attendance at school.

(d) As used in this section, the following terms have the following meanings:

(1) “Sexual assault” means any act made punishable by Section 261, 262, 264.1, 285, 286, 287, 288, or 289 of, or former Section 288a of, the Penal Code.

(2) “Domestic violence” means “domestic violence” as defined in § 6211 of the Family Code.

(3) “Domestic violence counselor” means “domestic violence counselor” as defined in subdivision (a) of § 1037.1 of the Evidence Code.

(4) “Physical confinement” has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (d) of § 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 423, Sec. 9. (SB 1494) Effective January 1, 2019.)