Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73
§390 Penalty for failure to appear, testify, or produce documents
Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 12— - CONTESTED ELECTIONS › § 390
Summary
If a court orders you to be a witness in a contested election case and you on purpose do not show up or you refuse to answer a question that matters, you commit a misdemeanor. You can be fined $100 to $1,000, jailed for one to 12 months, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §390
The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Every person who, having been subpenaed as a witness under this chapter to give testimony or to produce documents, willfully makes default, or who, having appeared, refuses to answer any question pertinent to the contested election case, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by fine of not more than $1,000 nor less than $100 or imprisonment for not less than one month nor more than twelve months, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section applicable with respect to any general or special election for Representative in, or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress of the United States occurring after Dec. 5, 1969, see section 19 of Pub. L. 91–138, set out as a note under section 381 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 390
Title 2 — The Congress
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73