ENFORCEMENT & CONTEMPT Flashcards
Can a party be held in contempt for nonpayment of debt not involving support
NO
Can court hold party in contempt for failure to pay spouse pension payments
No - pension is an asset, not support.
Does the court have contempt power to compel compliance to perform acts besides payment of money?
Yes, 12.570 - to force signature of title, deed or transfer documents such as mortgage
WHEN THE ACT AT ISSUE DOES NOT INVOLVE PAYMENT OF MONEY, TRIAL COURT MAY ENFORCE PROPERTY DIVISION THROUGH CONTEMPT
Can court issue writ of bodily arrest for future noncompliance with alimony
NO - cannot issue civil contempt for incarceration based on future anticipated noncompliance with court’s periodic support order
Identify the types of obligations to be enforced
- Parenting Issues
- Equitable distribution: non payment of debt, property division or perform an act
- Alimony
- Child support
- Attorney’s Fees
What are the 4 different types of contempt
- Direct Civil Contempt
- Indirect Civil Contempt
- Direct Criminal Contempt
- Indirect Criminal Contempt
What can habeas corpus be used for in enforcement
To require a party to appear before court to enforce PP
What is proper venue for habeas corpus
Only in the county in which child is detained or withheld
What is the definition of contempt
A refusal to obey any legal order or mandate give by a Judge relative to any business of the court, after due notice, contempt can be punished accordingly.
It is an act tending to embarrass, hinder or obstruct the court in the administration of justice or less its authority or dignity.
What is DIRECT contempt
It is a contemptuous act that is committed in the immediate presence of the court
What is INDIRECT contempt
An act committed outside the presence of court
What is the difference in seeking civil contempt v. criminal contempt
Civil contempt is REMEDIAL
Criminal contempt is PUNITIVE
When is criminal contempt appropriate
It involves conduct that is calculated to embarrass, hinder or obstruct the administration of justice and is used to vindicate authority of the court and PUNISH offending party
When is civil contempt appropraite
It is used to coerce an offending party into complying with a court order rather than pushing them for failure to comply
How do we determine if contempt proceedings are civil or criminal
It goes to the nature of the alleged contemptuous act and is NOT dependent on the nature of the cause from which the contempt citation arose
If a fine imposed is not related to any damage suffered by aggrieved party, what type of contempt is it
criminal - it’s punitive
What is necessary for a valid civil contempt action
Contempt order must include a purge provision - without it, there is danger that the contempt sanction could be transformed from a civil to criminal contempt sanction without having followed underlying procedural protections attendant to criminal proceedings
What must potential criminal contemnors be entitled to
Same constitutional due process protections
What are the 6 elements for direct criminal contempt
- SHOW CAUSE
- SIGN ORDER & PRONOUNCE IN OPEN COURT
- CONDUCT IN PRESENCE OF COURT
- GIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVIDENCE TO MITIGATE
- SUMMARY OF PUNISHMENT
- WRITTEN JUDGMENT OF GUILT W RECITAL IF FACT
What is the burden of proof for direct criminal contempt
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT
When must court appoint counsel for direct or indirect criminal contempt proceeding?
When the offense is punishable by incarceration but it is NOT required if the imposition of incarceration DOES NOT EXCEED 6 MONTHS
Court doesn’t have to give you the right to counsel in a direct or indirect criminal contempt action unless the incarceration is for a period of 6 months of more
Will failure to return to court without court ordered documents, subject you to direct criminal contempt
It could be constituted as direct criminal contempt and be punished summarily accordingly
Can telling Judge to fuck himself in elevator subject you to direct criminal contempt
No - bc it did not happen in court and interrupt or hinder judicial proceedings.
On the way to court room kid kicks door and tells bailiff to go fuck himself but judge hears it, can court hold in direct criminal contempt
Yes bc here it was in presence of judge and conduct lessened court’s authority or dignity
A defendant passed out in court bc he had coke that morning - can he be held in direct criminal contempt
Yes, bc it obstructed the administration of justice
If a judge believes one witness is living over the testimony of others, is this sufficient to summarily adjudicate for direct criminal contempt
No - it would create a chilling effect on constitutional right to freedom of speech, access to the courts, and due process.
Can defendant be held in direct criminal contempt for perjury where his testimony at hearing on motion to withdraw plea was “diametrically opposite” to his own testimony at time of the plea.
Yes
Prospective juror fails to disclose criminal history during jury selection is this subject to direct criminal contempt
Yes - it was done in presence of court
Trial court’s order of direct criminal contempt and a sentence of sixty days in jail, based upon a finding that a witness in a proceeding had committed perjury - will this uphold appeal
In order to be considered direct criminal contempt, all of the acts underlying the contemptuous conduct must be committed in open court, in the presence of the judge. If in order to determine that the witness had committed perjury, the court has to consider testimony of another witness and documents which were created out of the court’s presence - NO DIRECT CRIMINAL CONTEMPT.
If the judge relies on statements and testimony from others regarding their knowledge about the contemptuous acts, then the misconduct is no longer considered direct criminal contempt unless the alleged contemnor admits in open court, before the judge, that they have committed perjury
Is failure to testify for the state in response to a subpoena direct criminal contempt
Yes
Can party be held in contempt for multiple acts of profanity in one outburst
No - it’s only one direct criminal attempt for the continuous outburst.
Can court orally pronounce the resuscitation of the contemptuous act
Yes - but it has to detail what the contempt act was, not just make conclusory statements
What’s the max fine for a direct criminal contempt
No to exceed $500
What is the max jail sentence for direct criminal contempt
Cannot exceed 1 year
Is criminal contempt a crime
Yes, in the ordinary sense but it is not a felony or a misdemeanor - it’s a 3rd category called “common law crimes”
When is a jury necessary for imposition of jail time for criminal contempt
A jury trial is required by the United States Constitution when the sentence imposed is in excess of six months
Anything less than 6 months, jury not required
How shall a direct criminal contempt be prosecuted
A. Order to Show Cause
B. Motions; Answer
C. Order of Arrest; Bail
D. Arraignment; Hearing
E. Disqualification of Judge
F. Verdict; Judgment
G. Sentence; Indirect Contempt
When can judge is an order of arrest & bail for contempt proceeding
If Judge has reason to believe the party will not show up
When must judge disqualify himself in a contempt proceeding
If contempt charged involves disrespect or criticism of the judge. Judge will disqualify and another judge designated by chief justice of supreme court
What is the definition of indirect criminal contempt
Contemptuous conduct that has occurred outside the presence of the judge
when is indirect criminal contempt proceedings appropriate
Where the party in default has continually and willfully neglected court ordered support obligations or has affirmatively divested himself of assets and property.
How must an indirect criminal contempt action be brought
By sworn motion or sua sponte by Judge
What is the charging document for indirect criminal contempt
The order to show cause - it’s like the information in a criminal case