Federal · Title 10 — Armed Forces

10 U.S.C. § 847: Art. 47. Refusal of person not subject to chapter to appear, testify, or produce evidence

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

A person not subject to military jurisdiction who willfully refuses to appear, testify, or produce evidence after being subpoenaed may be prosecuted in federal or state court and, upon conviction, fined or imprisoned or both.

Read the full statutory text
willfully neglects or refuses to appear; or willfully refuses to qualify as a witness or to testify or to produce any evidence which that person is required to produce; is issued a subpoena or other process described in subsection (c) of section 846 of this title (article 46); and is provided a means for reimbursement from the Government for fees and mileage at the rates allowed to witnesses attending the courts of the United States or, in the case of extraordinary hardship, is advanced such fees and mileage. Any person not subject to this chapter who is issued a subpoena or other process described in subsection (d) of section 846 of this title (article 46). Any person who commits an offense named in subsection (a) shall be tried on indictment or information in a United States district court or in a court of original criminal jurisdiction in any of the Commonwealths or possessions of the United States, and jurisdiction is conferred upon those courts for that purpose. Upon conviction, such a person shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, at the court’s discretion. The United States attorney or the officer prosecuting for the United States in any such court of original criminal jurisdiction shall, upon the certification of the facts to him by the military court, commission, court of inquiry, board, or convening authority, file an information against and prosecute any person violating this article. The fees and mileage of witnesses shall be advanced or paid out of the appropriations for the compensation of witnesses.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.