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

Heading: District court's contempt jurisdiction when appeal to supreme court is pending.

Text: Plaintiff argues that because her dissolution decree appeal challenged the order that she either sell the residence or buy out Mr. Lutz's share, district court had no jurisdiction to find her in contempt for failing to comply with that order. She relies exclusively on our decisions holding generally that upon filing an appeal trial court is divested of jurisdiction in the controversy and jurisdiction is with the supreme court until some part of the case is remanded for further action. See, e. g., In re Estate of Tollefsrud, 275 N.W.2d 412, 417 (Iowa 1979); In re Marriage of Novak, 220 N.W.2d 592, 596 (Iowa 1974); McCauley v. Municipal Court, 254 Iowa 1345, 1346, 121 N.W.2d 96, 96-97 (1963); Scheffers v. Scheffers, 241 Iowa 1217, 1227, 44 N.W.2d 676, 681 (1950). These cases are inapposite, for in each instance trial court sought to enter a further order or take some action that would somehow modify the issues on appeal or change the orders appealed from. Here the district court contempt proceeding was brought to enforce the decree, not to modify or change it. Plaintiff ignores the provisions of Iowa R.App.P. 7, which states in relevant part: No appeal shall stay proceedings under a judgment or order unless appellant executes a bond with sureties, to be filed with and approved by the clerk of the court where the judgment or order was entered. The condition of such bond shall be that appellant will satisfy and perform the judgment if affirmed .... In Iowa an appellee may invoke judicial power to enforce a decree while its correctness is being appealed, unless a supersedeas bond is filed. See Criswell v. Criswell, 235 Iowa 18, 21, 16 N.W.2d 4, 5 (1944); Spring v. Spring, 210 Iowa 1124, 1128-29, 229 N.W. 147, 149 (1930), or a stay is entered by this court, Scheffers, 241 Iowa at 1223-24, 44 N.W.2d at 679 80. See 2 A. Vestal & P. Willson, Iowa Practice § 54.02 (1974). The power of a court to impose sanctions for failure to abide by its orders is essential to the efficient discharge of judicial functions. Yocum v. Gaffney, 257 Iowa 207, 210, 131 N.W.2d 826, 828 (1964). If there is jurisdiction of the parties and legal authority to make an order, it must be obeyed, however erroneous or improvident. In re Marriage of Welsher, 274 N.W.2d 369, 371-72 (Iowa 1979). One of the sanctions available to courts in such cases is the power to punish for contempt. Under section 665.2(3), contempts include [i]llegal resistance to any order or process made or issued by [the court]. Specially applicable in dissolution proceedings is section 598.23 which provides in part: If any party against whom any temporary order or final decree has been entered shall willfully disobey the same... he may be cited and punished by the court for contempt and be committed to the county jail for a period of time not to exceed thirty days for each offense. We hold defendant properly ruled that plaintiff's appeal did not deprive district court of jurisdiction to punish for contempt.