Opinion ID: 1190178
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Court Trustee

Text: The Department of Law suggests that the court trustee would be a more appropriate party to institute the contempt action. In at least two states court appointees are empowered to institute contempt proceedings for violation of support orders. Wisconsin Stats.Anno. § 247.29 (West Supp. 1974-75); Michigan Compiled Laws 552.251, M.S.A. § 25.171 (1967). AS 09.55.210 provides:  Judgment. In a judgment in an action for divorce or action declaring a marriage void or at any time after judgment, the court may provide ... (5) for the appointment of one or more trustees to collect, receive, expend, manage, or invest, in the manner the court directs, any sum of money adjudged for the maintenance of the wife or the nurture and education of minor children committed to her care and custody; Civil Rule 67 provides: (b) In any action where payment of moneys for purposes of child support is ordered, payment shall be made to a court trustee appointed by the presiding superior court judge, unless another method is ordered by the court for cause. Facially, this statute and rule do not appear to prohibit a court trustee from prosecuting contempt actions in non-support cases. However, the functions performed by court trustees are not uniform throughout this state. We take judicial notice that in some districts the court trustee works closely with family court judges and often serves as a master in divorce proceedings. A well established principle of law is that the court may not combine prosecutorial and judicial functions. United States v. Jacquillon, 469 F.2d 380, 387 (5th Cir.1972), cert. denied 410 U.S. 938, 93 S.Ct. 1400, 35 L.Ed.2d 604; State v. Browder, 486 P.2d 925, 939 (Alaska 1971). Although this precept most often arises in the criminal context, it is equally applicable in the civil area where the conflict of interest and the combination of functions is as readily apparent. For this reason, it would be unwise if not unconstitutional, as a violation of the doctrine of separation of powers, to charge the court trustee with the duty to prosecute contempt actions. [7]