Court Opinion

ID: 9430985
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:31:03.732448+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:34.400284
License: Public Domain

Justice White,
dissenting.
I agree with the Court that as a general rule contempt cases such as this should in the first instance be referred to the United States Attorney and that a district court’s well-established authority to appoint private counsel to prosecute should be exercised only after that official declines to prosecute. I would also prefer that district courts not appoint the attorney for an interested party to prosecute a contempt case such as this. But as I understand Rule 42, it was intended to embrace the prior practice and to authorize, but not to require, the appointment of attorneys for interested parties. I would leave amendment of the Rule to the rulemaking process. I agree with the Court of Appeals that there was no error, constitutional or otherwise, in the appointments made in this action and that petitioners were not denied due process of law by being tried and convicted of contempt. Because I discern no ground for concluding that petitioners did not receive a fair trial, I would affirm the Court of Appeals.