Opinion ID: 1155335
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: Deposit of funds as purging contempt

Text: Husband contends his deposit of funds with the family court amounted to a purge of his contempt and therefore the bench warrant should have been quashed. We disagree. First, the December 21 order specifically directed Husband to pay the outstanding $83,333 directly to Wife. Judge Smoak's order allowing the deposit of funds did not, and in fact could not, alter Judge Armstrong's prior order requiring that Husband pay Wife directly in order to purge himself of contempt. Further, Rule 67 may not be used as a means of altering the legal duties of the parties. Renaissance Enterprises, Inc. v. Ocean Resorts, Inc., 334 S.C. 324, 513 S.E.2d 617 (1999). Where payment has been ordered and not appealed, and a contempt order is issued to compel payment, a deposit of funds under Rule 67 will not constitute a purge. Husband never contested the original order that he pay Wife from the proceeds of the sale of Patria stock and he remains legally obligated to make these payments to Wife. The deposit of uncontested funds with the court does nothing but delay payment of funds that are legally due. This is not the intent of Rule 67. [5] In conclusion, we find Husband did not purge himself of contempt by depositing the funds with the court and the motion to quash was properly denied. Further, in light of our affirmance of the contempt finding as discussed in Issue 3b above, we order the funds dispersed to Wife and, upon payment to Wife, the bench warrant shall be quashed.