Title: Ellison v. Mummert
Citation: 105 Ariz. 46, 459 P.2d 306
Docket Number: 9784
State: Arizona
Issuer: Arizona Supreme Court
Date: October 7, 1969

105 Ariz. 46 (1969) 459 P.2d 306 Virginia A. ELLISON, Petitioner, v. John MUMMERT, Sheriff of Maricopa County, John E. Burke, Judge of Superior Court, Maricopa County, Respondents. No. 9784. Supreme Court of Arizona. In Banc. October 7, 1969. Dohn M. Rosenthal, Maricopa County Legal Aid Society, Mesa, for petitioner. Moise Berger, Maricopa County Atty., Phoenix, by Albert Firestein, Deputy County Atty., Phoenix, for respondents. PER CURIAM. Petitioner, Virginia A. Ellison, was incarcerated on August 11, 1969 pursuant to a Superior Court hearing held on an Order to Show Cause why she should not be held in contempt of court and punished accordingly for violation of certain provisions of a decree of divorce issued July 2, 1969 which provisions were designated as "paragraphs III a.; III c.; III f.; XVI; XX and XXI of said decree of divorce". After the hearing held on August 11, 1969 the Court entered the following order regarding the purported contempt: An adjudication of contempt must be based on specific facts found which show knowledge of the order, ability to comply with it, and contumacious conduct on the part of the accused amounting to wilful violation. Since no facts were found by the court as to the specific contumacious acts or acts on which the order for contempt was based, Now therefore it is ordered that the Writ of Habeas Corpus prayed for by petitioner is granted and It is further ordered that John Mummert, Sheriff of Maricopa County, is directed to release the petitioner, Virginia A. Ellison, forthwith.