Montana Code 45-7-309. Criminal contempt
45-7-309. Criminal contempt. (1) A person commits the offense of criminal contempt when the person knowingly engages in any of the following conduct:
Terms Used In Montana Code 45-7-309
- Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
- Knowingly: means only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See Montana Code 1-1-204
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
(a)disorderly, contemptuous, or insolent behavior committed during the sitting of a court in its immediate view and presence and directly tending to interrupt its proceedings or to impair the respect due to its authority;
(b)breach of the peace, noise, or other disturbance directly tending to interrupt a court’s proceeding;
(c)purposely disobeying or refusing any lawful process or other mandate of a court;
(d)unlawfully refusing to be sworn as a witness in any court proceeding or, after being sworn, refusing to answer any legal and proper interrogatory;
(e)purposely publishing a false or grossly inaccurate report of a court’s proceeding;
(f)purposely failing to obey any mandate, process, or notice relative to juries issued pursuant to Title 3, chapter 15; or
(g)purposely failing to comply with the requirements of the 24/7 sobriety and drug monitoring program provided for in Title 44, chapter 4, part 12, if ordered by a court to participate in the program.
(2)A person convicted of the offense of criminal contempt shall be fined not to exceed $500 or be imprisoned in the county jail for a term not to exceed 6 months, or both.