The powers of the several courts in this state to issue attachments and inflict summary punishment for contempts shall not extend to any other cases than:

(1) Disrespectful, contemptuous or insolent behavior in court, tending in any way to diminish or impair the respect due to judicial tribunals or to interrupt the due course of trial;

Terms Used In Alabama Code 12-1-8

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Grand jury: agreement providing that a lender will delay exercising its rights (in the case of a mortgage,
  • Juror: A person who is on the jury.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
(2) A breach of the peace, boisterous conduct, violent disturbance or any other act calculated to disturb or obstruct the administration of justice, committed in the presence of the court or so near thereto as to have that effect;
(3) The misbehavior of any officer of the court in his official transactions or the disobedience or resistance of any officer of the court, party, juror, witness or any other person to any lawful writ, process, order, rule, decree or command thereof;
(4) Deceit or the abuse of the process of the proceedings of the court by any person or party or any unlawful interference with the processor proceedings of the court;
(5) Refusing to be sworn or to answer, either in the court or before the grand jury, any lawful question as a witness or garnishee;
(6) When summoned as a juror in a court, improperly conversing with a party to an action to be tried at such court or with any other person in relation to the merits of such action or receiving a communication from a party or other person, in respect to it, without immediately disclosing the same to the court; or
(7) Conversing with a juror, knowing him to be such, in relation to the merits of any action which he is engaged in the trial of or supplying any juror with refreshments of any kind, except water, during the time he is engaged in the trial of any cause, without leave of the court.
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