A Massachusetts Sample Contempt Summons is a legal document used in the state of Massachusetts to bring a person who has violated a court order to court. The summons is issued by the court to the person who has violated the court order, and orders them to appear before a judge. The summons can be issued for a variety of reasons, such as failure to pay child support, failure to obey a court order, or failure to comply with a restraining order. There are two types of Massachusetts Sample Contempt Summons: a criminal contempt summons and a civil contempt summons. A criminal contempt summons is used when someone has violated a criminal court order, and is punishable by jail time. A civil contempt summons is used when someone has violated a civil court order, and is punishable by fines or other sanctions. Both types of summons include information about the court order that was violated and a date and time for the person to appear before the court.