Opinion ID: 1437505
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Criminal Contempt Family Court's Jurisdiction

Text: The General Assembly has acknowledged the inherent contempt powers of all Delaware Courts. 11 Del.C. § 202(b). The General Assembly has also expressly conferred upon the Family Court statutory authority to [d]etermine and punish civil and criminal contempt. 10 Del.C. § 925(3). [9] The Family Court has no authority, however, to conduct a jury trial. [10] Clements v. Family Court, Del.Supr., 401 A.2d 72, 73 (1979). Notwithstanding a defendant's right to a jury trial in a serious criminal contempt proceeding, and the fact that the Family Court is not a jury court, the Family Court is not divested of either its inherent or statutory criminal contempt jurisdiction. The Family Court may conduct criminal contempt proceedings so long as the defendant's right to a jury trial is preserved. Clements v. Family Court, Del.Supr., 401 A.2d 72 (1979). Even when a defendant has a constitutional right to a trial by jury, a bench trial in Family Court must be conducted first. [11] Id. Upon conviction in the Family Court, however, the defendant does have the right to an appeal de novo to the Superior Court and, to elect to have a jury trial. Id. See Evans v. Justice of the Peace Court No. 19, Del.Supr., 652 A.2d 574 (1995). Family Court Criminal Rule 42(b) [12] sets forth the procedures that must be followed in a proceeding for an action for indirect criminal contempt: (b) Prosecution by Complaint, Information or Petition; Prosecution by Order to Show Cause; Disqualification; Disposition. (1) An action for prosecution of criminal contempt may be commenced by filing of a complaint in accordance with Rule 3 or by filing by the Attorney General of an information or petition and pursued in accordance with statute and these Rules. (2) Except when pursued in accordance with Rule 42(a) or 42(b)(1), a criminal contempt shall be prosecuted on notice. The notice shall state the time and place of hearing, allowing a reasonable time for the preparation of the defense, and shall state the essential facts constituting the criminal contempt charged and describe it as such. The notice shall be given orally by the judge or master in open court in the presence of the person charged or on application of the Attorney General or of an attorney appointed by the Court for that purpose by an order to show cause or an order of apprehension. The person charged is entitled to admission to bail as provided in these Rules. (3) If the contempt charged involves disrespect to or criticism of a judge or master, that judge or master is disqualified from presiding at the trial or hearing except with the consent of the person charged. (4) Upon a verdict or finding of guilt, the Court shall enter an order fixing the punishment. Fam.Ct.Crim.R. 42(b). Compare Fam.Ct. Civ.R. 70. Family Court Criminal Rule 42(b) provides that one way notice can be given is by an attorney appointed by the Court for that purpose by an order to show cause.... Fam.Ct.Crim.R. 42(b). Since courts possess inherent authority to initiate contempt proceedings for disobedience to their orders, that authority necessarily encompasses the ability to appoint a private attorney to prosecute the contempt. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 793, 107 S.Ct. at 2130. Ordinarily, however, a court should first request the appropriate prosecuting authority to prosecute contempt actions, and should appoint a private prosecutor only if that request is denied. Such a procedure ensures that the court will exercise its inherent power of self-protection only as a last resort, just as it usually considers enforcing compliance with its orders through the imposition of civil contempt before it utilizes criminal contempt as a sanction. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 801-804, 107 S.Ct. at 2134-36. [13] A criminal contempt proceeding that arises out of civil litigation is between the public and the defendant, and [is] not a part of the original cause. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 804, 107 S.Ct. at 2136. Consequently, in the event that a private attorney is appointed to prosecute a criminal contempt which arises from a civil proceeding, that attorney should be as disinterested as a public prosecutor who undertakes such a prosecution. Id. Therefore, the attorney for a party that is the beneficiary of a court order in a civil proceeding may not be appointed as a prosecutor in a [criminal] contempt action alleging a violation of that order. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 809, 107 S.Ct. at 2138.