Virginia statute
Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-456 — Cases in which courts and judges may punish summarily for contempt
Current through 2026 Regular Session
Part of Article 5: Contempt of Court, Code of Virginia.
Full text of Va. Code Ann. § 18.2-456
Statutory text current through the 2026 Regular Session. This publication reproduces the text of the Code of Virginia from the official Virginia Law Portal API published by the Virginia General Assembly's Division of Legislative Automated Systems; it is not the official Code of Virginia.
A. The courts and judges may issue attachments for contempt, and punish them summarily, only in the following cases:
1. Misbehavior in the presence of the court, or so near thereto as to obstruct or interrupt the administration of justice;
2. Violence, or threats of violence, to a judge or officer of the court, or to a juror, witness, or party going to, attending, or returning from the court, for or in respect of any act or proceeding had, or to be had, in such court;
3. Vile, contemptuous, or insulting language addressed to or published of a judge for or in respect of any act or proceeding had, or to be had, in such court, or like language used in his presence and intended for his hearing for or in respect of such act or proceeding;
4. Misbehavior of an officer of the court in his official character;
5. Disobedience or resistance of an officer of the court, juror, witness, or other person to any lawful process, judgment, decree, or order of the court; and
6. Willful failure to appear before any court or judicial officer as required after having been charged with a felony offense or misdemeanor offense or released on a summons pursuant to § 19.2-73 or 19.2-74 . In determining whether a failure to appear was willful pursuant to this subdivision, the court shall consider mitigating circumstances, including those circumstances listed in subsection A of § 19.2-128 .
B. The judge shall indicate, in writing, under which subdivision in subsection A a person is being charged and punished for contempt.
C. Nothing in subdivision A 6 shall be construed to prohibit prosecution under § 19.2-128 . The provisions of subdivision A 6 shall not apply to any person who is (i) incarcerated in any correctional facility or (ii) (a) detained in any state or federal facility or (b) in the custody of a law-enforcement officer at the time such person is required to appear before any court or judicial officer.
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