Editing Contempt of court (section)

===Canada===

====Common law offense====
In Canada, contempt of court is an exception to the general principle that all criminal offences are set out in the federal ''[[Criminal Code (Canada)|Criminal Code]]''. Contempt of court is the only remaining [[common law offence]] in Canada.

Contempt of court includes the following behaviors:
* Failing to maintain a respectful attitude, failing to remain silent or failing to refrain from showing approval or disapproval of the proceeding
* Refusing or neglecting to obey a subpoena
* Willfully disobeying a process or order of the court
* Interfering with the orderly administration of justice or impairing the authority or dignity of the court
* Failing to perform duties as an officer of the court
* A sheriff or bailiff not executing a writ of the court forthwith or not making a return thereof

====Canadian Federal courts====
''This section applies only to the [[Federal Court of Appeal]] and [[Federal Court (Canada)|Federal Court]].''

Under Federal Court Rules, Rules 466, and Rule 467 a person who is accused of Contempt needs to be first served with a contempt order and then appear in court to answer the charges. Convictions can only be made when proof beyond a reasonable doubt is achieved.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://reports.fja.gc.ca/regles/partie12.html |title = Federal Court Rules Chapter 12 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20030503180331/http://reports.fja.gc.ca/regles/partie12.html |archive-date=3 May 2003 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

If it is a matter of urgency or the contempt was done in front of a judge, that person can be punished immediately. Punishment can range from the person being imprisoned for a period of less than five years or until the person complies with the order or fine.

====Tax Court of Canada====
Under [[Tax Court of Canada]] Rules of ''Tax Court of Canada Act'', a person who is found to be in contempt may be imprisoned for a period of less than two years or fined. Similar procedures for serving an order first is also used at the Tax Court.

====Provincial courts====
Different procedures exist for different provincial courts. For example, in [[British Columbia]], a [[justice of the peace]] can only issue a summons to an offender for contempt, which will be dealt with by a judge, even if the offence was done in the face of the justice.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/P/96379_01.htm#section31 |title=Provincial Court Act Jurisdiction of justice |access-date=2009-05-20 |archive-date=2008-12-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219190114/http://www.qp.gov.bc.ca/statreg/stat/P/96379_01.htm#section31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>