Source: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/266/42.html
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 23:07:00+00:00

Document:
MICHAELSON v. U. S. EX REL. CHICAGO, ST. P., M. & O. RY. CO.
[266 U.S. 42, 44] Messrs. Donald R. Richberg, of Chicago, Ill., John A. Cadigan, of Superior, Wis., and Jackson H. Ralston, of New York City, for petitioners Michaelson and others.
[266 U.S. 42, 50] Messrs. Jackson H. Ralston, of New York City, and James W. Henson, of Henderson, Ky., for petitioner Sandefur.
[266 U.S. 42, 54] Mr. Edward Porter Humphrey, of Louisville, Ky., for Canoe Creek Coal co. [266 U.S. 42, 55] Mr. Richard L. Kennedy, of St. Paul, Minn., for respondent Chicago, St. P., M. & O. R. Co.
These cases were argued together and will be disposed of in one opinion. The principal question presented in the Michaelson Case, and the sole question in the Sandefur Case, is whether the provision of the Clayton Act of October 15, 1914, c. 323, 38 Stat. 738, 21, 22 (Comp. St . 1245a, 1245b), requiring a jury trial in certain specified kinds of contempt [266 U.S. 42, 63] is constitutional. Subordinate questions presented in the Michaelson Case are: (a) Whether petitioners were, or whether it is necessary that they should be, 'employees' within the meaning of section 20 of the act (Comp. St. 1243d); (b) whether the acts alleged to constitute the contempt were also criminal offenses under the statutes of the United States or of the state where committed; (c) whether the provision for a jury is mandatory or permissive.
The petitioners in the Michaelson Case were striking employees of the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railway Company, and, with others, were proceeded against by bill in equity for combining and conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by picketing and the use of force and violence, etc. After a hearing, a preliminary injunction was granted. Subsequently proceedings in contempt were instituted in the District Court, charging petitioners with sundry violations of the injunction, and a rule to show cause was issued. Upon the answer and return to the rule, petitioners applied for a jury trial under section 22 of the Clayton Act; but the District Court denied the application and proceeded without a jury. At the conclusion of the hearing, the petitioners were adjudged guilty and sentenced to pay fines in various sums, and in default of payment to stand committed to jail until such fines were paid. Thereupon the case was taken to the Circuit Court of Appeals by writ of error, and by that court the judgments were affirmed. 291 F. 940.
First. Is the provision of the Clayton Act, granting a right of trial by jury, constitutional? The court below held in the negative, on the ground that the power of a court to vindicate or enforce its decree in equity is inherent, is derived from the Constitution as a part of its judicial power, and that Congress is without constitutional authority to deprive the parties in an equity court of the right of trial by the chancellor. [266 U.S. 42, 64] If the statute now under review encroaches upon the equity jurisdiction intended by the Constitution, a grave constitutional question in respect of its validity would be presented; and it therefore becomes our duty, as this court has frequently said, to construe it, 'if fairly possible, so as to avoid, not only the conclusion that it is unconstitutional, but also grave doubts upon that score.' Panama Railroad Co. v. Johnson, 264 U.S. 375 , 44 S. Ct. 391.
The provision for trial by jury upon demand, as we shall presently show, is mandatory, and the question to be answered is whether it infringes any power of the courts vested by the Constitution and unalterable by congressional legislation. We first inquire whether the proceeding contemplated by the statute is for a civil or a criminal contempt. If it be the latter-since the proceeding for criminal contempt, unlike that for civil contempt, is between the public and the defendant, is an independent proceeding at law, and no part of the original cause [266 U.S. 42, 65] (Gompers v. Buck's Stove & Range Co., 221 U.S. 418 , 444-446, 451, 31 S. Ct. 492, 34 L. R. A. [N. S.] 874)-we are at once relieved of the doubt which might otherwise arise in respect of the authority of Congress to set aside the settled rule that a suit in equity is to be tried by the chancellor without a jury unless he choose to call one as purely advisory, We think the statute, reasonably construed, relates exclusively to criminal contempts. The act or thing charged must be of such character as also to constitute a crime. Prosecution must be in conformity with the practice in criminal cases. Upon conviction the accused is to be punished by fine or imprisonment, or both. True, the fine may be paid to the United States or to the complainant or divided among the parties injured by the act, as the court may direct; but that does not alter the essential nature of the proceeding contemplated by the statute. The discretion given the court in this respect is incidental and subordinate to the dominating purpose of the proceeding which is punitive to vindicate the authority of the court and punish the act of disobedience as a public wrong. See Re Merchants Stock Co., Petitioner, 223 U.S. 639, 641 , 32 S. Ct. 339; Matter of Christenson Engineering Co., 194 U.S. 458, 461 , 24 S. Ct. 729; Merchants' Stock & Grain Co. v. Board of Trade, 187 F. 398, 401, 109 C. C. A. 230, Kreplik v. Couch Patents Co., 190 F. 565, 572, 111 C. C. A. 381. 'If the contempt savors of criminality, and the sentence is penal, that according to the books appears to be enough.' Long Wellesley's Case, 2 Russ. & M. 639, 667.
The proceeding is not between the parties to the original suit but between the public and the defendant. The only substantial difference between such a proceeding as we have here, and a criminal prosecution by indictment or information is that in the latter the act complained of is the violation of a law and in the former the violation of a decree. In the case of the latter, the accused has a constitutional right of trial by jury; while in the former he has not. The statutory extension of this constitutional right to a class of contempts which are properly described as 'criminal offenses' does not, in our opinion, invade the powers of the courts as intended by the Constitution or violate that instrument in any other way.
Section 22 provides for a trial by jury upon demand of the accused in all cases within the purview of the act. Whether the general language of section 21 should be limited by construction because it forms a part of an act dealing with unlawful restraints and monopolies, or for any other reason, we need not now stop to inquire. It is enough to say that in a controversy, such as we have here, at least, it does not require the existence of the status of employment at the time the acts constituting the contempt are committed, in order to bring into operation the provision for a trial by jury.
'The trial is by the court (1) in case no jury be demanded by the accused; (2) if the contempt be in the presence of the court or so near thereto as to obstruct the administration of justice; or (3) if the contempt be charged to be in disobedience of any lawful writ, process, order, rule, decree or command entered in any suit or action brought or prosecuted in the name or on behalf of the United States. In other cases the trial is to be by jury.' House Report, No. 613, 62d Cong., 2d Sess.
The intent of Congress in adopting the provision was to give to the accused a right of trial by jury, not merely to vest authority in the judge to call a jury at his discretion. See Supervisors v. United States, 4 Wall. 435, 446, 447.
'Do those provisions of section 22 of the Clayton Act which require a conviction upon a jury trial as a condition precedent to punishment for contempt, upon demand for a jury trial in the case specified, impose a valid restriction upon the inherent judicial power of the United States District Courts?' [266 U.S. 42, 71] The facts stated in the certificate bring the case within the principle of what has already been said, and the question must be answered in the affirmative.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.