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New York statute

N.Y. Penal Law § 215.50 — Criminal contempt in the second degree

Current through 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)

Part of Article 215: Other Offenses Relating to Judicial and Other Proceedings, New York Penal Law.

Criminal charges under this statute

Full text of N.Y. Penal Law § 215.50

Statutory text current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17). This publication reproduces the text of the Consolidated Laws of New York as provided by the New York State Senate's Open Legislation service (Legislative Bill Drafting Commission statutory text); it is not the official statutes of the State of New York.

N.Y. Penal Law § 215.50Primary source, current through the 2026 legislative session (LBDC text via OpenLegislation as of 2026-07-17)
215.50 Criminal contempt in the second degree. A person is guilty of criminal contempt in the second degree when he engages in any of the following conduct: 1. 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; or 2. Breach of the peace, noise, or other disturbance, directly tending to interrupt a court's proceedings; or 3. Intentional disobedience or resistance to the lawful process or other mandate of a court except in cases involving or growing out of labor disputes as defined by subdivision two of section seven hundred fifty-three-a of the judiciary law; or 4. Contumacious and unlawful refusal to be sworn as a witness in any court proceeding or, after being sworn, to answer any legal and proper interrogatory; or 5. Knowingly publishing a false or grossly inaccurate report of a court's proceedings; or 6. Intentional failure to obey any mandate, process or notice, issued pursuant to articles sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, or eighteen-a of the judiciary law, or to rules adopted pursuant to any such statute or to any special statute establishing commissioners of jurors and prescribing their duties or who refuses to be sworn as provided therein; or 7. On or along a public street or sidewalk within a radius of two hundred feet of any building established as a courthouse, he calls aloud, shouts, holds or displays placards or signs containing written or printed matter, concerning the conduct of a trial being held in such courthouse or the character of the court or jury engaged in such trial or calling for or demanding any specified action or determination by such court or jury in connection with such trial. Criminal contempt in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

Official sources

Legal terms used in this section

Questions this section answers

What class of misdemeanor is criminal contempt in the second degree in New York?

Criminal contempt in the second degree is a Class A Misdemeanor in New York under N.Y. Penal Law § 215.50.

Which New York statute covers criminal contempt in the second degree?

Criminal contempt in the second degree is governed by N.Y. Penal Law § 215.50 (Criminal contempt in the second degree).

This reference is informational and is not legal advice.