South Carolina Code 17-7-180. Disregard of summons or refusal to testify
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Terms Used In South Carolina Code 17-7-180
- Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
- Testify: Answer questions in court.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
Every person summoned or required to give evidence and disregarding such summons or refusing to testify, without such excuse as shall be lawful and sufficient, shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty dollars and shall be committed to jail by the coroner until the next court of general sessions or until he testifies and is discharged by the coroner such forfeiture to be recovered by indictment, and in addition shall be liable to be indicted at the next court of general sessions for the county and upon conviction shall be fined and imprisoned, at the discretion of the court. And the coroner shall bind such witness so appearing, by recognizance, with good and sufficient surety, to appear at the next court of general sessions to stand his trial and a witness refusing to enter into such recognizance shall be forthwith committed to the jail of the county by commitment, under the hand and seal of the coroner, there to be kept until he enters into such recognizance as before required.