Opinion ID: 1735237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 11

Heading: Count VAbusing Contempt Powers

Text: ¶ 36. The fifth allegation of misconduct arose when Judge Byers abused her contempt powers in arresting Cynthia Jeffries on a direct contempt charge, when in fact Jeffries's actions were, at most, the basis of constructive (indirect) contempt. We agree with the Commission's findings that this charge is the most troubling and serious of all the charges set out in the formal complaint. ¶ 37. Judge Byers clearly did not use the correct procedural safeguards required for a charge of constructive contempt, which are: ... a specific charge, notice and a hearing. Purvis v. Purvis, 657 So.2d 794, 798 (Miss.1994) (citing Wood v. State, 227 So.2d 288, 290 (Miss. 1969)). The Commission found that this action violated Canons 1, 2 A, 2 B, 3 A(1) and 3 B(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct. This Court agrees with the Commission's Findings on Count Five. ¶ 38. Jeffries, a newspaper reporter for the Delta Democrat Times, disobeyed an order given to her by Judge Byers when she published an article regarding a juvenile proceeding. Judge Byers had Jeffries arrested and sentenced her to serve 72 hours in jail without bond. Jeffries's lawyer contacted another judge who advised him of Jeffries's statutory right to a bond and set a bond releasing Jeffries from jail. ¶ 39. At the time the Jeffries matter occurred, the first formal complaint against Judge Byers, which also involved an abuse of judicial (although not contempt) powers, was pending. In that matter, referred to at the hearing as Commission Inquiry 96-247, a Ms. Broadway was arrested in the hallway of the courthouse, searched, jailed, and bond was set for $2,500 by Judge Byers on charges of creating a disturbance and intimidating a judge. Formal charges were never filed, and Broadway was finally released after she posted bond. For her actions in the Broadway matter, Judge Byers was given a private reprimand. She admitted that her involvement in setting bond was improper because she was the complaining witness. At the present time of the complaint, Judge Byers was already on notice of the seriousness of abuse of her powers as judge, yet she again abused this power in the Jeffries matter. Judge Byers argues that Jeffries was obliged to follow her orders not to publish the juvenile records and that Court orders have to ... be obeyed until they are reversed or set aside in an orderly fashion. (citing United States v. Dickinson, 465 F.2d 496 (5th Cir.1972)). Although Judge Byers recites the law in Dickinson, there are several reasons why this case cannot be used to justify her actions in the Jeffries matter. ¶ 40. First, in Dickinson, two reporters violated a court order not to publish details of the evidence taken in a court hearing. Dickinson at 500. These reporters were held to be in contempt, and the opinion reflects that a show cause order was issued and following a hearing thereon, the district court found the appellants guilty of criminal contempt for knowingly having violated the November 1 order. Each defendant was sentenced to pay a fine of $300.00. Id. ¶ 41. In the case sub judice, when Judge Byers found out that Jeffries had disobeyed her court order, she had an arrest warrant issued and Jeffries was brought before her with no filing of an affidavit nor an order to show cause. Judge Byers stated that the purpose of the hearing in chambers was for Jeffries to show cause. Jeffries was not given any prior notice that a hearing was to be held at a certain time or place. She was not allowed to present witnesses or to put on any evidence. She was found to be in direct contempt and was sentenced to 72 hours in jail. Jeffries's lawyer was present during the proceeding and asked if the charge was for direct contempt for writing the article. When he asked if he could make a further record, Judge Byers told him he could not. ¶ 42. Jeffries's lawyer then asked if Judge Byers would consider an appeal bond, which she refused. Judge Byers later stated that she was under the impression that bond on this matter was discretionary with the judge. However, Miss.Code Ann. § 11-51-11 (Supp.1999) provides that an appeal from a judgment for criminal contempt shall be allowed upon the posting of a bond. Judge Byers stated that she had her law clerk research contempt charges, yet she admitted that she was not aware at the time of § 11-51-11. ¶ 43. Jeffries was also denied her procedural rights in contradiction to the requirements of a charge for constructive contempt as defined by this Court in Purvis. Purvis at 798. In Dickinson, although the reporters were in contempt and were only given a fine, a show cause was issued and a hearing was held thereby providing the parties with due process. Dickinson at 500; Purvis at 798. The often confused labels that a trial judge uses in contempt charges do not control; the clarity or ambiguity of the contempt order as well as the procedures followed to enter the contempt sanctions are what govern. Here, the violation of the order occurred outside the presence of the court and thus was a constructive contempt charge. The order was entered as an unalterable punishment for having violated a court directive, thereby constituting criminal contempt. Hinds County Bd. of Supervisors v. Common Cause, 551 So.2d 107, 120-21 (Miss.1989). Criminal contempt is a separate action in which a bond must be posted before an appeal is authorized. Miss.Code Ann. § 11-51-11 (Supp. 1999). Judge Byers denied Jeffries the right to bond in violation of the statute. ¶ 44. Judge Byers's reliance on Dickinson is further misplaced since the United States Supreme Court has held that a prior restraint on speech is presumptively invalid and the court issuing the order must balance factors required in order to overcome this presumption. Nebraska Press Ass'n v. Stuart, 427 U.S. 539, 562, 570, 96 S.Ct. 2791, 49 L.Ed.2d 683 (1976). Whether Judge Byers knew about the holding in Nebraska Press is immaterial. The issue is the failure to follow statutory requirements and case law when depriving a citizen of liberty. Miss. Const. art. 3, § 14; Miss.Code Ann, § 11-51-11 (Supp. 1999); Purvis, at 798. ¶ 45. Procedural irregularities occurring in the arrest of a citizen can amount to judicial misconduct, and a judge should be, admonished in the strongest possible terms to learn the law and administer his office in strict conformance therewith. In re Bailey, 541 So.2d 1036, 1037 (Miss. 1989). [A] judge's intemperance with defendants, court personnel, and attorneys is conduct which prejudices the administration of justice and casts the judicial office into disrepute, and cannot be tolerated. Mississippi Comm'n on Judicial Performance v. Spencer, 725 So.2d 171, 179 (Miss.1998). Criticism will surely come to those who hold elected positions, but, [t]hose who accept judicial office must expect and endure such criticism and be ... long of fuse and thick of skin. Mississippi Judicial Performance Comm'n v. Walker, 565 So.2d 1117, 1123 (Miss.1990) (citing DeGeorge v. Superior Court, 40 Cal. App.3d 305, 312, 114 Cal.Rptr. 860 (Cal.Ct. App.1974)). Public confidence in the judiciary is eroded by irresponsible or improper conduct by judges. A judge must avoid all impropriety and appearance of impropriety. He must expect to be the subject of constant public scrutiny. He must therefore accept restrictions on his conduct that might be viewed as burdensome by the ordinary citizen and should do so freely and willingly. (Miss.Code of Judicial Conduct Canon 2 cmt.) ¶ 46. In the case sub judice, Judge Byers abused her powers when she used the incorrect procedures to hold Jeffries in contempt and put Jeffries in jail. This Court in Walker, restated that a judge may behave in a manner that is prejudicial to the administration of justice so as to bring the judicial office into disrepute and the result is the same regardless of whether bad faith or negligence and ignorance are involved. Id. at 1123. Having a citizen arrested and put in jail without following the correct procedural safeguards of giving a specific charge, notice and a hearing violates Canon 1 since disregard of the law through negligence or ignorance brings the integrity and independence of the judiciary into question. These actions erode the public's confidence in Judge Byers's ability to sit as an acting judge, in violation of Canon 2 A. The actions taken by Judge Byers further violate Canons 3 A(1)-being faithful to the law and maintaining professional competence, and 3 B(1)-diligently discharging administrative responsibilities and maintaining professional competence in judicial administration. This Court finds that Judge Byers did violate Canons 1, 2 A, 3 A(1) and 3 B(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct of Mississippi Judges with regard to Count V.