Opinion ID: 1654919
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Constructive Criminal Contempt

Text: Relying on the timing of the delivery of the TRO, the method of delivery, and the appearance of the TRO, Drs. Easton and Aguillard contend that no reasonable person in the same circumstances would have complied with the order and that they could not have complied with the order. [10] Whether or not a court order is transparently invalid on its face or compliance with the court order could not be accomplished, the trial court was presented the more basic question of whether the elements of the crime of criminal contempt were proven beyond a reasonable doubt. See State in the Interest of R.J.S., 493 So.2d 1199 (La.1986). Finding that the evidence adduced by the trial judge failed to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Drs. Easton and Aguillard actions were done with an intent to defy the court's authority, we reverse their contempt convictions. It is a well-accepted principle in proceedings for criminal contempt that orders of the trial judge in the conduct of trials must be obeyed, irrespective of the ultimate validity of the order, unless the trial judge stays the order or ruling to permit a review. City of Lake Charles v. Bell, 347 So.2d 494, 496-97 (La.1977); Matter of Hipp, 5 F.3d 109 (5 Cir.1993). The correctness of a court order or ruling is not contested by deciding to willfully disobey it, without suffering the consequence of that disobedience. Respect for judicial process is a small price for the civilizing hand of law. Absent a showing of transparent invalidity or patent frivolity surrounding the order, it must be obeyed until stayed or reversed by orderly review. City of Lake Charles, 347 So.2d at 496; see also United States v. Dickinson, 465 F.2d 496 (5th Cir.1972). As we noted in City of Lake Charles, The criminal contempt exception requiring compliance with court orders, while invalid non-judicial directives may be disregarded, is not the product of self-protection or arrogance of judges. Rather it is born of an experience-proven recognition that this rule is essential for the system to work. Judges are charged with the final responsibility to adjudicate legal disputes. Determinations take the form of orders. The problem is unique to the judiciary because of its particular role. Disobedience to a legislative pronouncement in no way interferes with the legislature's ability to pass laws. The dispute is simply pursued in the judiciary, and the legislature is free to discharge its responsibilities despite the disregard of its statutes. Law enforcement is also not brought to a standstill by failure to convict those who disregard the unconstitutional commands of policemen. On the other hand, the deliberate refusal to obey an order of court without testing its validity through established processes requires further action by the judiciary, directly affecting its ability to discharge its duties and responsibilities. While it should be sparingly used, the power of courts to punish for contempt is a necessary and integral part of the independence of the judiciary, and is absolutely essential to the judicial process. Without this authority courts would be mere boards of arbitration whose orders, ruling, judgments and decrees would be only advisory. Dickinson, supra . A court's power to decide includes the power to decide wrongly. City of Lake Charles, 347 So.2d at 496-97. The rule that invalid court orders must nevertheless be obeyed until set aside presupposes the existence of at least three conditions: 1) the court issuing the order must enjoy subject matter and personal jurisdiction over the controversy; 2) adequate and effective remedies must be available for orderly review of the challenged ruling, and 3) the order must not require an irretrievable surrender of constitutional guarantees. City of Lake Charles, 347 So.2d at 497. The Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure defines contempt of court as any act or omission tending to obstruct or interfere with the orderly administration of justice, or to impair the dignity of the court or respect for its authority. LA.CODE. CIV. PROC. ANN. art. 221. Drs. Easton and Aguillard were convicted of willful disobedience of a court order, which constitutes constructive contempt of court. LA.CODE CIV. PROC. ANN. art. 224(2). A contempt of court proceeding is either criminal or civil, which is determined by what the court primarily seeks to accomplish by imposing sentence. Shillitani v. United States, 384 U.S. 364, 370, 86 S.Ct. 1531, 16 L.Ed.2d 622 (1966). In a criminal contempt proceeding, the court seeks to punish a person for disobeying a court order, whereas in a civil contempt proceeding, the court seeks to force a person into compliance with a court order. State in the Interest of R.J.S., 493 So.2d at 1202 and n7 (citing Shillitani, 384 U.S. at 364, 86 S.Ct. 1531). In the instant case, the object of the proceeding was to determine whether Drs. Easton and Aguillard should be punished for willfully disobeying the court's May 18, 2002 order, thus it is a criminal contempt proceeding. Criminal contempt is a crime, and the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects a defendant in a criminal proceeding against conviction of a crime except upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt of every fact necessary to constitute the contempt charge. State in the Interest of R.J.S., 493 So.2d at 1202. On appellate review of criminal contempt, the reviewing court must determine that the evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to conclude that every element of the contempt charge was proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Id. Willful disobedience of a court order requires a consciousness of the duty to obey the order and an intent to disregard that duty. Id. at 1203. The purpose of charging and convicting a defendant for criminal contempt is vindication of the public interest by punishment of contemptuous conduct. Id. (citing R. PERKINS, CRIMINAL LAW 533 (1969)). Therefore, in order to constitute willful disobedience necessary for criminal contempt, the act or refusal to act must be done with an intent to defy the authority of the court. Id. (citing E. DANGEL, CONTEMPT § 171 (1939)). General criminal intent is present... when the circumstances indicate that the offender, in the ordinary course of human experience, must have adverted to the prescribed criminal consequences as reasonably certain to result from his act or failure to act. Drs. Easton and Aguillard testified that during their years of service to the education system they both received court documents in the course of their respective official duties as superintendent of schools and principal. They both testified that they are familiar with court documents and what they typically look like. [11] From the outset, we point out that our examination of the TRO shows that the signature affixed to the TRO was illegible and nothing on the document indicates the identity of the issuing judge. It is also obvious that the document presented to Drs. Easton and Aguillard contained no docket number, indicated no reference to the judicial division issuing the order, and bore no endorsement of the fact and date of filing. Though we often take these endorsements for granted, they are not merely embellishments or ornamentations affixed to paper. To the contrary, these endorsements are indicia of court records and signify their character as official pleadings or documents. Although we are keenly aware in the present case that the procurement of this TRO occurred on a weekend at a time when the Clerk of Court's office was closed, LA. CIV.CODE. ANN. art. 251(B) authorizes a judge to certify an order for service in such a situation if it is determined that an emergency situation exists. [12] Considering the absence of these aforementioned endorsements from the TRO, the timing of the delivery of the order, and the method of delivery, we cannot say that it was shown beyond a reasonable doubt that Drs. Easton and Aguillard intentionally chose to defy the court order. Although the invalidity of the TRO does not preclude a finding of criminal contempt, when the causes for that invalidity are placed into perspective with the factual setting in which Drs. Easton and Aguillard acted, it cannot be said that it was proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the actions of Drs. Easton and Aguillard were acts of defiance directed to the authority of the trial court. We therefore conclude that the evidence in the record, when viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution, is insufficient for a rational trier of fact to conclude that Drs. Easton and Aguillard willfully disobeyed the order of the trial court.