Court Opinion

ID: 9883507
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 01:44:07.242775+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:24.251429
License: Public Domain

SHINN, P. J.
I concur. The record does not contain a copy of any affidavit accusing petitioner of violating the . order. The commitment recites that he had knowledge of the order, had ability to comply with it and had not done so. As a basis for an adjudication of contempt this was the statement of a conclusion. It was necessary that petitioner be accused of some specific act or omission. The presumption of regularity does not apply in contempt matters and it will not be presumed that the proceeding was initiated by a sufficient affidavit. (See Groves v. Superior Court, 62 Cal.App.2d 559, 568 [145 P.2d 355].)
Petitioner was sentenced to five days in the county jail, fined $500 and ordered to serve one day in the county jail for each $2.00 thereof remaining unpaid. He alleges in his petition that he has no money or property, that this fact was in evidence in the hearing before the commissioner, and that therefore he will have to serve 255 days in the county jail.
Ordinarily, when confinement in jail is deemed advisable the order therefor should provide for the release of the accused whenever he renders substantial compliance with the judgment order which he has disobeyed. The punishment of petitioner was grossly harsh and excessive. If every violator of a temporary order in a divorce case were sent to jail for eight months, there would be no room in the jails for criminals.