Opinion ID: 1256305
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Civil Contempt Citation

Text: We now examine whether the district court abused its discretion in concluding that the LeMays were not in civil contempt. The appropriate standard of proof for a citation of civil contempt is by clear and convincing evidence. Tugaeff v. Tugaeff, 42 Haw. 455, 461 (1958), reaffirmed by Murray v. Murray, 60 Haw. 160, 165 n. 6, 587 P.2d 1220, 1223 n. 6 (1978). Additionally, to hold a party in civil contempt, there must be a court decree that sets forth in specific detail an unequivocal command that the contemnor violated, and the contemnor must be able to `ascertain from the four corners of the order precisely what acts are forbidden.' Dystar Corp. v. Canto, 1 F.Supp.2d 48, 54 (D.Mass.1997) (quoting King v. Allied Vision, Ltd., 65 F.3d 1051, 1058 (2d Cir.1995)). A knowing or intentional state of mind is immaterial when determining civil contempt violations due to its remedial purpose; the real question is whether the alleged contemnor has failed to comply with the court's order. Hawaii State Teachers Ass'n, 55 Haw. at 392, 520 P.2d at 427; see United Public Workers, 66 Haw. at 479, 667 P.2d at 795; McComb v. Jacksonville Paper Co., 336 U.S. 187, 191, 69 S.Ct. 497, 93 L.Ed. 599 (1949); Vuitton et Fils S.A. v. Carousel Handbags, 592 F.2d 126, 128 n. 2 (2d Cir. 1979). However, [c]onduct that evinces substantial, but not complete, compliance with the court order may be excused if it was made as part of a good faith effort at compliance. Howard Johnson Co., Inc. v. Khimani, 892 F.2d 1512, 1516 (11th Cir.1990) (citing Newman v. Graddick, 740 F.2d 1513, 1524 (11th Cir.1984)); see National Labor Relations Bd. v. A-Plus Roofing, Inc., 39 F.3d 1410, 1418 (9th Cir.1994) (noting that substantial compliance purges civil contempt); Stotler and Co. v. Able, 870 F.2d 1158, 1163 (7th Cir.1989) (stating that civil contempt may be appropriate if a party has not been reasonably diligent and energetic in attempting to accomplish what was ordered); Vertex Distributing, Inc. v. Falcon Foam Plastics, Inc., 689 F.2d 885, 891-92 (9th Cir. 1982) (holding that all reasonable steps to comply with a court order by correcting violations prior to contempt proceeding constitutes substantial compliance, and technical or inadvertent violations of the order will not support a finding of civil contempt); United States Steel Corp. v. United Mine Workers of America, Dist. 20, 598 F.2d 363, 368 (5th Cir.1979) (noting that a substantial compliance defense is available in civil contempt). It is a sufficient defense ... if a [contemnor] `has in good faith employed the utmost diligence in discharging his ... responsibilities.' Aspira of New York, Inc. v. Board of Educ. of the City of New York, 423 F.Supp. 647, 654 (S.D.N.Y.1976) (quoting Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Train, 510 F.2d 692, 713 (D.C.Cir.1975) (stating the issue as whether defendants have been reasonably diligent and energetic in attempting to accomplish what was ordered)). In accord with these principles, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Allied Vision reiterated that, in order to hold a party in civil contempt, a movant must establish that: (1) the order with which the contemnor failed to comply is clear and unambiguous; (2) the proof of non-compliance is clear and convincing; and (3) the contemnor has not diligently attempted to comply in a reasonable manner. 65 F.3d at 1058. Stated differently, the federal court in United States v. McMillan, 53 F.Supp.2d 895 (S.D.Miss.1999), noted that, in order to establish a prima facie case of civil contempt, the movant must demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that: (1) a court order was in effect; (2) the order required certain conduct by the respondent; and (3) the respondent failed to comply with the court's order. Id. at 897-98 (citing Whitfield, 832 F.2d at 913); see Roe v. Operation Rescue, 919 F.2d 857, 871 (3d Cir.1990). Because we believe the test espoused in Allied Vision best encompasses the principles of civil contempt previously stated, we adopt it as our own.
Leander contends that, because the district court found that the LeMays had encroached upon his property, it necessarily follows that the LeMays were in civil contempt insofar as a knowing state of mind, as the district court correctly noted, is not necessary for a determination of civil contempt. Thus, Leander insists the district court erred in concluding that the LeMays were not in civil contempt. Leander's argument misstates the law of civil contempt. As we previously discussed, to establish that the LeMays were in civil contempt, Leander carries the burden of establishing the requirements of the Allied Vision test. The district court's findings support Leander's establishment of Allied Vision 's first two requirements. First, the Injunction is clear and unambiguous on its face as to the prohibited conduct; that is, both the LeMays and Leander were prohibited from entering onto the premises, including the yards, of the other. Second, the district court found by clear and convincing evidence that the LeMays had violated the Injunction by placing gravel around the croton and on [Leander's] boundary line, thereby encroaching onto Leander's property. However, Leander failed to establish the third requirement of Allied Vision that the LeMays have not diligently attempted to comply with the Injunction in a reasonable manner. The district court found that, according to the survey, [the LeMays] did encroach upon [Leander's] property to a minor degree by placing gravel around a croton tree and on [Leander's] boundary line, but that these actions do not constitute a violation of [the Injunction]. Based upon these findings, we hold that Leander failed to adduce sufficient evidence to prove that the LeMays had not diligently attempted to comply with the Injunction in a reasonable manner or, in other words, were not in substantial compliance with the Injunction. Furthermore, although a knowing state of mind is not required for a civil contempt citation, the facts that the LeMays had no knowledge of the actual boundary at the time of the encroachment and had a good faith belief that the croton was located on their property further support the district court's conclusion that the LeMays had diligently attempted to comply with the Injunction. Accordingly, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that the LeMays did not commit any acts of civil contempt.
The district court also found that Leander had failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the LeMays violated the Injunction by removing the concrete curbing and boundary pins. The record reflects that Leander relied solely upon his own testimony and affidavit to contradict the LeMays' affidavit, which denied such conduct. This court has long observed that it is within the province of the trier of fact to weigh the evidence and to assess the credibility of the witnesses, and this court will refrain from interfering in those determinations. See State v. Eastman, 81 Hawai`i 131, 139, 913 P.2d 57, 65 (1996). In light of the evidence in the record, we hold that the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that Leander's testimony and affidavit were insufficient to prove by clear and convincing evidence that the LeMays had removed the concrete curbing and boundary pins from Leander's property. Because Leander has failed to establish a violation of the Injunction as required by the second prong of Allied Vision, we affirm the district court's judgment with respect to the concrete curbing and boundary pins.