Indiana statute
Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2 — Obstruction of justice
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Chapter 2: Interference with General Government Operations, Indiana Code.
Criminal charges under this statute
Full text of Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the official statutory text; it is not the official statutes of the State of Indiana.
Sec. 2. (a) A person who: (1) knowingly or intentionally induces, by threat, coercion, false statement, or offer of goods, services, or anything of value, a witness or informant in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation to: (A) withhold or unreasonably delay in producing any testimony, information, document, or thing that the witness or informant is legally required to produce; (B) avoid legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence; (C) absent the person from a proceeding or investigation to which the person has been legally summoned; or (D) give a false or materially misleading statement; (2) knowingly or intentionally in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation: (A) withholds or unreasonably delays in producing any testimony, information, document, or thing after a court orders the person to produce the testimony, information, document, or thing; (B) avoids legal process summoning the person to testify or supply evidence; or (C) absents the person from a proceeding or investigation to which the person has been legally summoned; (3) alters, damages, or removes any record, document, or thing, with intent to prevent it from being produced or used as evidence in any legal proceeding or administrative or criminal investigation; (4) makes, presents, or uses a false record, document, or thing with intent that the record, document, or thing, material to the point in question, appear in evidence in a legal proceeding or an administrative or criminal investigation to mislead a public servant; (5) communicates with a juror otherwise than as authorized by law, with intent to influence the juror regarding any matter that is or may be brought before the juror; or (6) being employed by a court or law enforcement agency, notifies the subject of a warrant of the warrant, with the intent to interfere with the execution of the warrant; commits obstruction of justice, a Level 6 felony, except as provided in subsection (b). (b) Except as provided in subsection (e), the offense is a Level 5 felony if, during the investigation or pendency of a domestic violence or child abuse case under subsection (c), a person knowingly or intentionally: (1) offers, gives, or promises any benefit to; (2) communicates a threat as defined by IC 35-45-2-1 (c) to; or (3) intimidates, unlawfully influences, or unlawfully persuades; any witness to abstain from attending or giving testimony, or to give a false or materially misleading statement, at any hearing, trial, deposition, probation, or other criminal proceeding or from giving testimony or other statements, including giving a false or materially misleading statement, to a court or law enforcement officer under IC 35-31.5-2-185 . (c) As used in this section, "domestic violence or child abuse case" means any case involving an allegation of: (1) the commission of a crime involving domestic or family violence under IC 35-31.5-2-76 involving a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128 ; (2) the commission of a crime of domestic violence under IC 35-31.5-2-78 involving a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128 ; or (3) physical abuse, sexual abuse, or child neglect, including crimes listed under IC 35-31.5-2-76 involving a victim who was less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the offense, whether or not the person is a family or household member under IC 35-31.5-2-128 . (d) Subsection (a)(2)(A) does not apply to: (1) a person who qualifies for a special privilege under IC 34-46-4 with respect to the testimony, information, document, or thing; or (2) a person who, as: (A) an attorney; (B) a physician; (C) a member of the clergy; or (D) a husband or wife; is not required to testify under IC 34-46-3-1 . (e) Subsections (a) and (b) do not apply to: (1) an attorney; (2) an investigator; (3) a law enforcement officer; or (4) a judge; engaged in that person's professional or official duties.
Official sources
Legal terms used in this section
Questions this section answers
Is obstruction of justice a felony or a misdemeanor in Indiana?
It depends on the circumstances: obstruction of justice ranges from a Level 6 Felony to a Level 5 Felony in Indiana under Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2.
Obstruction of justice (general): Level 6 Felony (Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2(a)) · Obstruction of justice — domestic violence or child abuse case: Level 5 Felony (Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2(b))
Which Indiana statute covers obstruction of justice?
Obstruction of justice is governed by Ind. Code § 35-44.1-2-2 (Obstruction of justice).
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.