Opinion ID: 1437505
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Contempt Direct or Indirect

Text: Contempt can be either direct or indirect. Direct contempt occurs in the court's presence and either interrupts its proceedings or denigrates the respect that is due to the court's authority. A trial court can often punish direct contempt summarily, either by virtue of its inherent authority or by statute. United Mine Workers v. Bagwell, ___ U.S. at ___-___, 114 S.Ct. at 2559-2560. See also Pitts v. State, Del.Supr., 421 A.2d 901, 905 (1980). The inherent authority of courts to initiate contempt proceedings, however, is not limited to the summary punishment of in-court contempts that interfere with the judicial process. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 797, 107 S.Ct. at 2132. Courts have the inherent authority to initiate proceedings for indirect contempt, albeit not summarily. United Mine Workers v. Bagwell, ___ U.S. at ___, 114 S.Ct. at 2557. Thus, due process mandates that actions to redress in-court (direct) and out-of-court (indirect) contempts must proceed in a different manner. Young v. United States, 481 U.S. at 799, 107 S.Ct. at 2133. Nevertheless, an inherent action for either direct or indirect contempt proceeds at the initiation of the court. Id.