Contempt of Court California Penal Code 166 PC
California Penal Code 166 refers to behavior that disrespects the court process. Contempt of Court is defined as any person that inappropriately interrupts the court proceedings such as being excessively loud, or shows disrespectful attitude. It also includes intentionally disobeying a lawful court order or refusing to be sworn in as a witness. There are four defenses to California Penal Code 166.
Defenses
The defenses under California Penal Code 166 are
- 1) The person did not have intent violate the court order
- 2) The person did not have the ability to comply with the court order
- 3) The person had no knowledge of the court order or
- 4) The person was mistaken for disobeying the court order (A person accusing you for disobeying the court order even though no such act has been done).
Penalties
The penalty for violating California Penal Code is a misdemeanor, which is serving six months in county jail and a maximum fine of $1,000.