Section 102 — District Court Act 2016: Offence to disobey witness summons

102 Offence to disobey witness summons (1) Every person commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $2,000 who, having been served with a witness summons,— (a) fails without reasonable excuse to appear or to produce any documents required to be produced in accordance with the summons; or (b) refuses to be sworn or to give evidence. (2) It is a defence to a charge under subsection (1) that the person’s witness expenses in the prescribed amount have not been paid or tendered to him or her at the time the witness summons is served or within a reasonable time before the hearing. (3) The conviction of a person for an offence against this section does not prevent a civil claim against the person for failing to comply with a witness summons or for refusing to be sworn or to give evidence. Compare: 1947 No 16 s 54