Opinion ID: 1155335
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 9

Heading: Bench warrant

Text: As part of the final December 21, 1999, order, the family court found Husband in contempt for failure to make the June 1999 payment of $83,333 as required by the 1998 temporary order. In the December 21 order, the family court sentenced Husband to four months unless he purged himself by making the payment directly to Wife. As discussed above, Husband appealed this contempt finding on the ground service of the Rule to Show Cause was improper. That appeal was filed January 28, 2000. Meanwhile, on January 26, 2000, a bench warrant was filed pursuant to the December 21 order. Husband subsequently obtained an order signed by Judge Smoak authorizing him to deposit $166,666 with the court in an interest-bearing account. This amount would cover two $83,333 paymentsthe June 1999 payment for which Husband was held in contempt, and the December 1999 payment which by then had become due. Husband then moved before Judge Segars-Andrews to quash the bench warrant based on his deposit of funds with the court. By order filed November 27, 2000, Judge Segars-Andrews denied the motion finding the family court lacked jurisdiction since the contempt finding was on appeal. Husband moved for the same relief before Judge Armstrong. By order filed March 19, 2001, Judge Armstrong denied the motion to quash for the same reason given by Judge Segars-Andrews. Husband contends Judge Armstrong erred in finding the family court had no jurisdiction to quash the bench warrant because of the pending appeal. We agree but find the motion to quash was properly denied. An order of civil contempt is not automatically stayed on appeal. In re Decker, 322 S.C. 212, 471 S.E.2d 459 (1995). An order that is not automatically stayed remains enforceable while pending appeal unless the party seeks a stay. See Rule 225(c)(1), SCACR. The lower court has jurisdiction to determine a party's motion for a stay in the first instance. Rule 205, SCACR. Further, the lower court retains jurisdiction over matters not affected by the appeal including the authority to enforce any matters not stayed. Rule 225(a), SCACR. Here, the continued viability of the bench warrant is a matter within the family court's authority to enforce its unstayed contempt order. The family court therefore retained jurisdiction to decide the merits of Husband's motion to quash. In this case, however, Judge Armstrong could not overrule the prior order of Judge Segars-Andrews. Charleston County Dept. of Soc. Servs. v. Father, 317 S.C. 283, 454 S.E.2d 307 (1995). Judge Segars-Andrews's unappealed ruling finding no jurisdiction is therefore the law of the case. In re Morrison, 321 S.C. 370, 468 S.E.2d 651 (1996). Moreover, as discussed below, we find on the merits the motion to quash was properly denied.