Legal Definitions - contempt of court, criminal

Criminal contempt of court is when someone disobeys an order from a court and faces criminal penalties. This can happen if someone insults the judge or causes a disturbance during a trial. The penalties for criminal contempt can include fines and even jail time.

There are two types of criminal contempt of court: direct and indirect. Direct contempt happens during a court proceeding, while indirect contempt happens when someone violates a court order outside of the courtroom.

When someone is charged with criminal contempt of court, they have the same rights as any other criminal defendant. This includes the right to a trial by jury, to examine and call witnesses, and to testify on their own behalf.

The goal of criminal contempt of court is to punish misconduct, not to force someone to comply with a court order. This means that someone can still face penalties even if they eventually comply with the order.

For example, if someone yells at the judge during a trial, they could be charged with direct criminal contempt of court. If someone violates a court order to pay child support, they could be charged with indirect criminal contempt of court.

These examples illustrate how someone can face criminal penalties for disobeying a court order or disrupting court proceedings.