Opinion ID: 1470023
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: standard of review

Text: A finding of contempt is within the sound discretion of the trial justice. Durfee v. Ocean State Steel, Inc., 636 A.2d 698, 704 (R.I.1994) (citing Brierly v. Brierly, 431 A.2d 410, 412 (R.I.1981)). Factual findings at a contempt hearing will not be disturbed unless they are clearly wrong or the trial justice abused his or her discretion. Id. A complaining party can establish civil contempt on behalf of his opponent when there is clear and convincing evidence that a lawful decree has been violated. Nardone v. Ritacco, 936 A.2d 200, 204 (R.I.2007) (quoting Direct Action for Rights and Equality v. Gannon, 819 A.2d 651, 661 (R.I.2003)). We apply a de novo standard of review, however, to questions of law, as well as to mixed questions of fact and law that purportedly implicate a constitutional right. See Foley v. Osborne Court Condominium, 724 A.2d 436, 439 (R.I.1999) (citing State v. Campbell, 691 A.2d 564, 569 (R.I.1997)). Thus, in cases raising First Amendment challenges, we `make an independent examination of the whole record' in order to make sure that `the judgment does not constitute a forbidden intrusion on the field of free expression.' Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc., 466 U.S. 485, 499, 104 S.Ct. 1949, 80 L.Ed.2d 502 (1984) (quoting New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254, 285, 84 S.Ct. 710, 11 L.Ed.2d 686 (1964)).