Court Opinion

ID: 9473420
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 04:29:25.47073+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:43:31.254838
License: Public Domain

WELLFORD, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I fully adopt the recitation of the factual circumstances applicable to this regrettable instanee of at best thoughtless and boorish behavior on the part of an attorney in the presence of the district judge and/or in respect of proceedings then pending before her. I concur in Judge Merritt’s conclusion that the contempt proceedings in this case, although not clearly delineated, were essentially civil in nature, and that Jaques was not prejudiced by the district court’s failure of specification. I further concur in the conclusion that Jaques received a full and fair hearing with reasonable opportunity to explain his previous failure to appear. On this basis I join in the judgment of affirmance.1
While I find the rationale logical pertaining to finding additional justification for the court’s action in 28 U.S.C. § 1927, I decline to join that part of the opinion. This court previously (and I believe unfortunately) limited the application of that section in United States v. Ross, 535 F.2d 346 (6th Cir.1976). Another court has found that conduct akin to studied disregard for orderly processes of justice be the necessary predicate for imposition of costs thereunder. Kiefel v. Las Vegas Hacienda, Inc., 404 F.2d 1163 (7th Cir.1968), cert. denied, 395 U.S. 908, 89 S.Ct. 1750, 23 L.Ed.2d 221 (1969). While Jaques disregarded the procedures established by Judge Aldrich, I am not sure that his actions “vexatiously” multiplied the proceedings within the meaning of that statute.
I join in the conclusion that clear and convincing evidence, if required in this type of proceeding, was present to support the district court’s findings and imposition of civil sanctions.

. The particular offensive remarks pointed to by Judge Merritt made to Judge Aldrich may themselves have been a basis for the Judge to find that Jaques was persisting in his conduct essentially contemptuous of the Judge and the orderly processes of the court.