Opinion ID: 2217346
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Sufficiency of evidence and preservation of testimony.

Text: We have already noted that no evidence was introduced at the time set for hearing this contempt proceeding. Arguments of counsel were not reported. Other than district court's summary of those arguments, contained in its ruling, this court has nothing before it to review relating to contemner's conduct. We do not view this as a case of direct contempt in which the offensive conduct occurs in the court's presence and the court may make a statement of the facts upon which the order is founded, as permitted by section 665.9. Rather, this is a case of alleged indirect contempt governed by the following statute: 665.8 Testimony reduced to writing. Where the action of the court is founded upon evidence given by others such evidence must be in writing, and be filed and preserved. In the case of an indirect contempt, we have stated the court has no authority to render a judgment for contempt on evidence that was not of record at the time of such entry. See Jones v. Levis, 240 Iowa 602, 604, 35 N.W.2d 891, 892, modified, 240 Iowa 602, 36 N.W.2d 756 (1949); Leonetti v. Utterback, 202 Iowa 923, 924, 211 N.W. 403, 403 (1926); Drady v. District Court, 126 Iowa 345, 348-50, 102 N.W. 115, 116-17 (1905); Skiff v. State, 2 Iowa 453, 455 (1856); see Heiserman, Procedures Available for Implementation of a Judgment in Iowa, 42 Iowa L.Rev. 265, 282 (1957) (A finding of guilt will be void if these statutes are not rigidly observed.). Our disposition of the division II issue makes it unnecessary for us to determine whether this defect could be waived, and if so, whether in this case it was waived by failure to present it to district court. See Gibb, 286 N.W.2d at 185. Pursuant to our holding in division II, the judgment holding plaintiff in contempt is annulled and the writ is sustained. WRIT SUSTAINED.