Opinion ID: 1263508
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Issue VI: Civil Contempt and Conditions of Purging

Text: Father contends that the contempt sentence and purging provisions of the two orders by Judge Creech are unconstitutional violations of Father's rights. We believe the contempt sentence was improperly based on an order for which no jurisdiction existed under Rule 225, SCACR. Therefore, we reverse the finding of contempt, but we decline to address Father's constitutional arguments. The finding of contempt against Father stems from his repeated failure to properly videotape the administration of Samuel's medicine. As previously discussed, the initial order requiring Father to videotape the giving of medicine is void for lack of jurisdiction because that order modified the terms of Father's visitation, an issue which was being appealed. Father cannot be held in contempt for violating an order which was void ab initio for a lack of jurisdiction. See Luthi v. Luthi, 297 S.C. 306, 376 S.E.2d 782 (Ct.App.1989) (during husband's appeal of an equitable division award to former wife, the lower court's order that the monetary equitable division award to former wife was a properly enrolled money judgment was void for lack of jurisdiction; as a result, the subsequent order awarding interest on the judgment was also invalid). Because the contempt issue can be resolved without reaching Father's due process claims, we decline to address the constitutional issues raised by Father. It is our firm policy to decline to rule on constitutional issues unless such a ruling is required. In re McCracken, 346 S.C. 87, 551 S.E.2d 235 (2001).