Court Opinion

ID: 9884048
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-10-06 02:32:39.746938+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:48:34.659560
License: Public Domain

CRIPPEN, Judge,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
The trial court enforcement order dated January 30,1986 was lawful, as the majority concludes. Twenty-five days later, in proceedings initiated six days after issuance of the enforcement order, the trial court found that appellants were in contempt of court. The finding of contempt is clearly erroneous, especially in light of the immediacy of the enforcement order. The contempt finding, and the order dated February 24, 1986 should be reversed.
The trial court issued its enforcement order on the last Thursday in January 1986. On the following Wednesday, six days later, counsel for the Commissioner, the respondent, scheduled a hearing upon the accusation that appellants were in contempt of court. This hearing was conducted on Wednesday, February 12, in the second week after issuance of the enforcement order. As might be expected in the circumstances, much of the testimony dealt with the intentions of the appellants. Rather apparently, this testimony was not pertinent to the question of contempt of court, but instead related to the question whether appellants would comply with the enforcement order in the future.
A complete examination of the record shows only two assertions of misconduct germane to the 13 day period between the date of the enforcement and the date of the hearing. First, it was said that appellants continued to conduct Bible studies for managers of Sports and Health Club, Inc.1 The relevance of these required studies arises solely because of testimony that they were conducted weekly. There is no other evidence a session had been conducted between January 30 and February 12. There was no evidence that any manager chose not to attend or was disciplined. This minimal facet of the case does not support a finding of contempt of court.
Second, the evidence indicated current use of the preemployment statement that was carefully considered by the trial court. There was no evidence as to the actual effects of the statement on any person. The court’s discussion of the statement is indicative of its present importance:
In response to the court’s questions, Owens [appellant Arthur Owens] re*338peatedly denied that the intent of the statement was to exclude certain persons from employment or from holding management positions with the club on the basis of their religious beliefs or practices. The pre-employment statement and the testimony before the court, however, demonstrate the respondent’s intention to be otherwise. (Emphasis added).
The court went on to observe the conclusion that the statement was a subterfuge designed to circumvent state law and the trial court order. The court expressed its confidence as to the discriminatory effect the statement would have in the future. This analysis may correctly determine whether appellants can continue to use the statement. It is quite a different thing to suggest that the continuing use of the statement, measured for the 13 day period between January 30 and February 12, was contemptuous. Prior contempt of court was not proven.
It is evident that the contempt issue was confused with a general survey of the longstanding practices of appellants and their future intentions. The proceedings on February 12 did not focus as the law required on actual violations of the January 30 order. It is elementary that contempt proceedings have to do with prohibited acts already “clearly defined” and that one accused of contempt must have notice of the court’s order “and a reasonable time within which to comply.” Hopp v. Hopp, 279 Minn. 170, 174, 156 N.W.2d 212, 216 (1968). These demands of the law are part of a cautious approach in the use of harsh remedies in contempt proceedings. It is also significant to note that civil contempt proceedings are aimed at vindication of the authority of the court and its order, not at vindication of the long-standing grievances of a private party or a party’s expectation of future grievances. See id., at 173, 156 N.W.2d at 216; 17 Am.Jur.2d Contempt § 2.
At the heart of these proceedings is a delicate balancing of conflicting liberties. See State ex rel. McClure v. Sports and Health Club, Inc., 370 N.W.2d 844, 851-53 (Minn.1985). It is wholly appropriate to view the conflict as a china shop into which the bull of hasty contempt proceedings should not be allowed to stray. The law requires the patience of respondent in carefully investigating the facts needed to show actual contempt of court. The law requires that we reverse the present contempt order.

. Among the 20 prohibitions announced by the administrative hearings examiner and adopted by the trial court, one proscribed “requiring, soliciting or suggesting the participation in Bible studies or other religious exercises or practices on the part of any employee."