English

Motion For Contempt

MO-shun fuhr kuhn-TEMPT
A legal motion filed in court to punish a party who has disobeyed a court order.
The plaintiff filed a motion for contempt after the defendant failed to comply with a court order to return the stolen property.
In re Harris (1977) - The Supreme Court held that a criminal defendant could be held in contempt for disobeying a court order, even if the order was later found to be invalid.
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Frequently Asked Questions

There are two main types of contempt: civil contempt and criminal contempt. Civil contempt is intended to coerce a party to comply with a court order. Criminal contempt is intended to punish a party who has willfully disobeyed a court order.

The penalties for contempt can vary depending on the severity of the offense. They may include fines, jail time, or both.

A party may be able to defend a motion for contempt by arguing that they were unable to comply with the court order or that the order was invalid.

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