2011 US Code
Title 10 - Armed Forces
Subtitle A - General Military Law (§§ 101 - 2925)
Part II - PERSONNEL (§§ 501 - 1805)
Chapter 47 - UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE (§§ 801 - 946)
Subchapter VII - TRIAL PROCEDURE (§§ 836 - 854)
Section 847 - Art. 47. Refusal to appear or testify

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Metadata
Publication TitleUnited States Code, 2006 Edition, Supplement 5, Title 10 - ARMED FORCES
CategoryBills and Statutes
CollectionUnited States Code
SuDoc Class NumberY 1.2/5:
Contained WithinTitle 10 - ARMED FORCES
Subtitle A - General Military Law
PART II - PERSONNEL
CHAPTER 47 - UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE
SUBCHAPTER VII - TRIAL PROCEDURE
Sec. 847 - Art. 47. Refusal to appear or testify
Containssection 847
Date2011
Laws in Effect as of DateJanuary 3, 2012
Positive LawYes
Dispositionstandard
Source CreditAug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041. 70A Stat. 53; Pub. L. 104-106, div. A, title XI, §1111, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 461; Pub. L. 109-163, div. A, title X, §1057(a)(5), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440; Pub. L. 112-81, div. A, title V, §542(a), (b), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1411.
Statutes at Large References64 Stat. 123
110 Stat. 461
119 Stat. 3440
125 Stat. 1411
Public Law ReferencesPublic Law 104-106, Public Law 109-163, Public Law 112-81

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10 USC § 847 (2011)
§847. Art. 47. Refusal to appear or testify

(a) Any person not subject to this chapter who—

(1) has been duly subpoenaed to appear as a witness before a court-martial, military commission, court of inquiry, or any other military court or board, or before any military or civil officer designated to take a deposition to be read in evidence before such a court, commission, or board, or has been duly issued a subpoena duces tecum for an investigation pursuant to section 832(b) of this title (article 32(b));

(2) has been provided a means for reimbursement from the Government for fees and mileage at the rates allowed to witnesses attending the courts of the United States or, in the case of extraordinary hardship, is advanced such fees and mileage; and

(3) willfully neglects or refuses to appear, or refuses to qualify as a witness or to testify or to produce any evidence which that person may have been legally subpoenaed to produce;


is guilty of an offense against the United States.

(b) Any person who commits an offense named in subsection (a) shall be tried on indictment or information in a United States district court or in a court of original criminal jurisdiction in any of the Commonwealths or possessions of the United States, and jurisdiction is conferred upon those courts for that purpose. Upon conviction, such a person shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, at the court's discretion.

(c) The United States attorney or the officer prosecuting for the United States in any such court of original criminal jurisdiction shall, upon the certification of the facts to him by the military court, commission, court of inquiry, board, or convening authority, file an information against and prosecute any person violating this article.

(d) The fees and mileage of witnesses shall be advanced or paid out of the appropriations for the compensation of witnesses.

(Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041. 70A Stat. 53; Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title XI, §1111, Feb. 10, 1996, 110 Stat. 461; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title X, §1057(a)(5), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3440; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, §542(a), (b), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1411.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large)
847(a)

847(b)

50:622(a).

50:622(b).

May 5, 1950, ch. 169, §1 (Art. 47), 64 Stat. 123.
847(c) 50:622(c).
847(d) 50:622(d).

In subsection (a), the word “Any” is substituted for the word “Every”. The word “is” is substituted for the words “shall be deemed”.

In subsection (b), the words “named in subsection (a)” are substituted for the words “denounced by this article”. The words “Territories, Commonwealths, or” are substituted for the word “Territorial”. The words “not more than” are substituted for the words “a period not exceeding”.

In subsection (c), the words “It shall be the duty of * * * to” are omitted as surplusage. The words “United States Attorney” are substituted for the words “United States district attorney”, to conform to the terminology of section 501 of title 28. The word “shall” is inserted after the word “jurisdiction”.

Amendments

2011—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–81, §542(b), substituted “subpoenaed” for “subpenaed” in two places.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 112–81, §542(a)(1)(A), substituted “board, or has been duly issued a subpoena duces tecum for an investigation pursuant to section 832(b) of this title (article 32(b));” for “board;”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 112–81, §542(a)(1)(B), substituted “provided a means for reimbursement from the Government for fees and mileage” for “duly paid or tendered the fees and mileage of a witness” and inserted “or, in the case of extraordinary hardship, is advanced such fees and mileage” before semicolon.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–81, §542(a)(2), substituted “board, or convening authority” for “or board”.

2006—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–163 substituted “Commonwealths or possessions” for “Territories, Commonwealths, or possessions”.

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–106 inserted “indictment or” after “shall be tried on” and substituted “shall be fined or imprisoned, or both, at the court's discretion” for “shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both”.

Effective Date of 2011 Amendment

Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title V, §542(c), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1411, provided that: “The amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to subpoenas issued after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 31, 2011].”

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