Opinion ID: 1843745
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The District Court's Finding of Contempt.

Text: The gravamen of Hutcheson's appeal, as can best be garnered from his rambling brief, is that he was not amenable to a no-contact order. Hutcheson argues that, pursuant to Iowa Code section 236.14, he could not be subject to a no-contact order since he was the victim, not the perpetrator of the alleged assault. Hutcheson then argues that, since the district court did not have subject matter jurisdiction to issue a no-contact order to him, he could not be held in contempt for violating that order. He urges the contempt order is illegal without subject matter jurisdiction. Although Hutcheson's argument may have some merit, there is one major problem with itHutcheson was not, as he contends, found in contempt for violating the no-contact order issued to him. Rather, he was found in contempt for aiding and abetting Davis in violating the no-contact order issued to her as well as other orders issued to her. The following additional facts control our disposition of this issue. The State initially alleged in its September 21, 1989, petition that Hutcheson was in contempt for his continued contact with Davis in direct violation of the no-contact order issued to him. On October 2, 1989, the district court issued an order-for-contempt citation with a notice and rule to show cause why Hutcheson should not be punished for contempt. A hearing on the order was scheduled for October 13. On October 10, 1989, the State filed an amendment to its application for contempt citation. In addition to the alleged violations in the original application, the State charged that Hutcheson, after having been informed of the provisions of Davis' deferred judgment, continued to initiate contact with [Davis], preventing her from properly obeying the court's orders. The State claimed that Hutcheson's actions in preventing Davis from obeying the terms of her probation and actually causing her to violate them were contemptuous violations of Iowa Code sections 665.2(1), 665.2(2), and 665.2(3). In its January 2, 1990, findings of fact, conclusions of law and order, the court specifically concluded: 1. Illegal resistance to any order or process made or issued by the court, constitutes contempt. 665.2, Code of Iowa 1989. 2. Acts constituting contempt include aiding in the evasion of an injunction or other court order ... or inciting others to violate a court order. 17 C.J.S. Contempt § 12 (1963). Carey v. Dist. Ct. of Jasper County, [226 Iowa 717] 285 N.W. 236 (1939). Based on the foregoing conclusions, the court entered the following order: The court finds beyond a reasonable doubt that attorney, Kent Hutcheson, has intentionally, and willfully encouraged and actively assisted Diane Davis in violating the terms of her TRO [no-contact order] issued April 28, 1989, and her terms of probation ordered on June 1, 1989 and September 13, 1989.... The court finds that attorney Hutcheson's contempt was so grievous that it constituted illegal resistance to the court's orders by aiding Diane Davis in violating these orders. Attorney Kent Hutcheson is found to be in contempt of this court for aiding and encouraging Diane Davis to resist and disobey the court's orders of April 28, 1989 and June 1, 1989, Pursuant to section 665.2(3) Code of Iowa, 1989. (Emphasis added.) Thus, the court did not find Hutcheson in contempt for violating the no-contact order issued to him. Rather, it found him in contempt for aiding and abetting Davis in violating the order issued to her. Giving the benefit of the doubt to Hutcheson, we further read his brief as presenting the issue of whether a district court has subject matter jurisdiction to hear a contempt charge against one who is not a party to an injunction or order.