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T
HERE ARE SIX KINDS OF COMMON LAWCONTEMPT
of court: direct criminal contempt, indirect criminal con-
tempt, indirect civil contempt, direct civil contempt, a com-
bination of two or more of the foregoing, and friendly contempt.
An excellent description of the first five is found in the case of
In
re Marriage of Betts
, 200 Ill.App.3d 26, 43-60 (4th Dist. 1990).
The First District of the Appellate Court has described the Fourth
District’s opinion in
Betts
as reading “more like a treatise than an
opinion,” and has urged confused attorneys to review
Betts
.
People
ex rel City of Chicago v. Le Mirage, Inc.
, 2011 IL App (1st) 093547,
¶
48. The author urges likewise.
Direct criminal contempt
In direct criminal contempt, a wrongful act is committed directly
in the presence of the judge (e.g., in the courtroom while court is
in session), or in the constructive presence of the judge (e.g., in
the courtroom while the judge is temporarily off the bench). The
purpose of the criminal contempt order is punishment, retribu-
tion, or deterrence of socially unacceptable behavior. Example:
During a trial, a litigant engages in a disrespectful outburst. This
is the kind of contempt that television courtroom dramas love.
Fortunately, it occurs far less frequently than dramatists would
have the public believe.
In a direct criminal contempt proceeding, the contemnor is
punished retrospectively for a past act that he cannot now undo.
The accused in a serious criminal contempt proceeding has most
of the same constitutional rights as does a defendant in a criminal
case: confrontation, no self-incrimination, appointed counsel if
necessary, presumption of innocence, proof beyond a reasonable
doubt, etc.
People v. Covington
, 395 Ill.App.3d 996, 1007 (4th Dist.
2009). But in accordance with U.S. Supreme Court precedent,
there is no right to trial by jury for direct criminal contempt if
the punishment does not exceed six months incarceration.
Bloom
v. Illinois
, 391 U.S. 194, 209-10 (1968).
A criminal contempt proceeding is prosecuted by the State’s
Attorney and is commenced by filing a petition for adjudication
of criminal contempt.
City of Quincy v. Weinberg
, 363 Ill.App.3d
654, 663 (4th Dist. 2006). If found guilty, the contemnor cannot
purge himself of the contempt and avoid the jail sentence or fine
by compliance, as there is nothing with which he can comply
other than go to jail and pay the fine. If the sentence is jail time
and not just a fine, it should be a determinate sentence, i.e., for a
specific length of time. Payment by the contemnor of a monetary
fine is made to the local governmental entity, not to the opposing
litigant.
Betts
, 200 Ill.App.3d at 44-46, 47-48, 49-52, 58-61.
Indirect criminal contempt
In an indirect criminal contempt proceeding, the wrongful act is
committed outside the presence or constructive presence of a judge.
Example: A person knowingly files a false document in the clerk’s
office or steals a court file from the clerk’s office. Other than the
place where the act is done, most of the concepts are the same as
in a direct criminal contempt.
Betts
, 200 Ill.App.3d at 48, 58-61.
Indirect civil contempt
In an indirect civil contempt proceeding, the alleged contemnor
was previously ordered by the court to do something, but she has
not obeyed the order, although she has the capability of obeying.
To coerce her into doing what she has been ordered to do, she is
jailed or fined until she complies with the order. Thus, the con-
temnor has the opportunity to purge herself of the contempt order
by complying. The contemnor in any civil contempt proceeding
is often said to have the keys to her own jail cell: If she complies
with the court order, the penalties cease and she goes free; but if
not, she remains incarcerated.
Covington
, 395 Ill.App.3d at 1006.
The accused in a civil contempt proceeding has none of the
rights of a defendant in a criminal case, and only two minimal due
process rights: notice and an opportunity to be heard.
Covington
,
395 Ill.App.3d at 1006. Although the name is civil contempt, the
ordinary rules of civil procedure are not fully applicable.
To commence the civil contempt proceeding, a rule to show
cause must be entered or other form of notice of the contempt
proceeding must be generated. The rule or notice must then be
personally served on the alleged contemnor.
People v. Sherwin,
353 Ill. 525, 528 (1933);
Bender v.
Frost, 317 Ill.App. 441, 447
(1st Dist. 1943);
Bonner v. People
, 40 Ill.App 628, 631 (1st Dist.
1890);
Whelan v. Whelan
, 161 Ill.App. 293, 294 (1st Dist. 1911).
The instrument served on the alleged contemnor must state the
time and the place of the hearing, and must adequately describe
the facts on which the alleged contempt is based.
In re Parentage
of Melton
, 321 Ill.App.3d 823, 829 (1st Dist. 2001);
Cleeland v.
Gilbert
, 334 Ill.App.3d 297, 302 (3d Dist. 2002);
Covington
, 395
Ill.App.2d at 1007;
Betts
, 200 Ill.App.3d at 52.
As to the place of the hearing, the notice must state the specific
Few areas of the law create more confusion and
misunderstanding than contempt of court. Here’s a
discussion of the six types of contempt, and some of
the applicable rules for each.
CBA RECORD
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