Title: Williams v. Williams (Dissenting Opinion)

State: pennsylvania

Issuer: Pennsylvania Supreme Court

Document:

[J-214-1998] IN THE SUPREME COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA EASTERN DISTRICT JANET SUSAN SELDON WILLIAMS v. RONALD K. M. WILLIAMS APPEAL OF: COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : No. 45 E.D. Appeal Docket 1997 Appeal of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from an order of Superior Court at 229 PHL 1994, dated September 18, 1996, denying reconsideration of an order dated July 8, 1996 reversing the judgment of sentence entered on November 27, 1993 in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Family Division, March Term, 1992-7202, DR # 92-02-606 681 A.2d 181 (Pa.Super. 1996) SUBMITTED: October 22, 1998 DISSENTING OPINION MR. JUSTICE SAYLOR DECIDED: December 22, 1998 While not every intemperate remark will cross the line which separates zealous advocacy from contemptuous conduct, in my view the vulgar and insulting language at issue was appropriately punishable summarily as direct contempt. Counsel’s remarks were not only injudicious and disrespectful -- the epithets directed at the Court were an affront to the authority and dignity of the tribunal and thus alone sufficient to constitute interference with the due and orderly administration of justice. Mr. Justice Cappy and Mr. Justice Nigro join this Dissenting Opinion.