Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 233, § 20H (2026)

Contempt of court; punishment; appeal

✓ current as of July 2026

Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section MAmalegislature.gov (official) JustiaChapter on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Section 20H. If a witness has been granted immunity pursuant to the provisions of section twenty E by a justice of the supreme judicial court, appeals court or superior court and thereafter refuses to testify or produce evidence after being so ordered by such justice, the attorney general or district attorney shall institute contempt proceedings against such witness in the court where the alleged contempt occurred, and, after hearing or trial, if such witness is adjudged in contempt of court, he shall be punished by imprisonment in the house of correction for a term not to exceed one year or until he complies with the order of the court, whichever occurs first. The rules of practice and procedure relative to criminal appeals as provided by the Massachusetts Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Massachusetts Rules of Appellate Procedure shall apply to appeals under this section.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 11 cases, 1973–2020 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Edwards, 830 N.E.2d 158 (Mass. 2005).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Commonwealth v. Edwards, 830 N.E.2d 158 (Mass. 2005). “Although granted immunity, after the appropriate hearing, Crockett persisted in his refusal to testify at the defendants’ scheduled trial and, on April 12, 2004, was found in contempt of court in violation of G. L. c. 233, § 20H, and sentenced to 365 days in the house of…”

Commonwealth v. Steinberg, 536 N.E.2d 606 (Mass. 1989). · cites it 3× “We also reject the witness’s challenge to the judge’s decision to hold the witness in contempt under both G. L. c. 233, § 20H (1986 ed.), and Mass.”

Commonwealth v. DeBrosky, 297 N.E.2d 496 (Mass. 1973). “G. L. c. 233, § 20H. 9 Mrs. Mann identified DeBrosky.”

Commonwealth v. Raczkowski, 475 N.E.2d 417 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985). · cites it 2× “On January 7, 1985, he was called before a second grand jury (the term of the first had expired), and he again refused to testify about the theft. He was brought before a Superior Court judge the following day, and was ordered to testify.”

Smith v. Commonwealth, 436 N.E.2d 377 (Mass. 1982). “Section 20G defines the scope of the immunity, which extends to any “transaction matter, or thing concerning which he is so compelled, after having claimed his privilege against self-incrimin'ation, to testify or produce evidence.”

Commonwealth v. Santaniello, 341 N.E.2d 259 (Mass. 1976). · cites it 2× “” He has appealed under G. L. c. 233, § 20H, from the adjudication of contempt.”

Vaccari, 955 N.E.2d 266 (Mass. 2011). “See G. L. c. 233, § 20H. *759 See also Matter of Roche, 381 Mass.”

Grand Jurors for Middlesex Cnty. for the Year 1974 v. Wallace, 369 Mass. 876 (Mass. 1976). “278, § 28E, in a case such as this, nor does it reside in the appeal provisions of the “immunity” statute (G. L. c. 233, § 20H) because the plaintiffs have not proceeded under that statute.”

Grand Jurors for Middlesex Cty for Yr. 1974 v. Wallace, 343 N.E.2d 844 (Mass. 1976). “278, § 28E, in a case such as this, nor does it reside in the appeal provisions of the "immunity" statute (G.L.c. 233, § 20H) because the plaintiffs have not proceeded under that statute.”

In Re: Grand Jury Investigation (Mass. Super. Ct. 2020). · cites it 5× “On August 13, 2019, the Court adjudged Doe in contempt pursuant to G.L. c. 233, § 20H, and committed him to the Essex County House of Correction ("ECHOC") until further order.”

Commonwealth v. Singleton, 32 Mass. L. Rptr. 211 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2014). · cites it 2× “The defendant’s argument that G.L.c. 233, §20H reduces the maximum sentence that had been available at common law for contempt is not persuasive.”

Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.