KEVIN JONES AND VIRGIL SWINDLE, PETITIONERS,
v.
TIMOTHY P. RYAN, DIRECTOR, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION DEPARTMENT, RESPONDENT
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Kevin Jones and Virgil Swindle sought habeas corpus relief after being confined for civil contempt of court for failing to comply with domestic violence injunction orders requiring program enrollment. The court held that the final contempt orders were criminal in nature rather than civil because they lacked purge provisions and were punitive rather than remedial, and therefore the petitioners were entitled to constitutional criminal protections they did not receive.
The court held that the final contempt orders, lacking purge provisions, were criminal in nature designed to punish rather than civil in nature designed to obtain compliance. Because the sentences exceeded six months, the petitioners were entitled to constitutional criminal protections including appointed counsel if indigent, right to jury trial election, and a written order stating the factual basis for contempt, none of which were provided.
[1] A civil contempt sanction must include a purge provision to allow the contemnor an opportunity to comply with the court's order.
[2] A contempt order that lacks a purge provision and is intended to punish rather than compel compliance is criminal in nature.
Previewing 2 of 6 headnotes on this case. FLexlaw’s editorially structured points of law — every proposition, pinpointed — are reserved for members.
Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“Civil contempt is designed to obtain compliance with a court order, whereas, the purpose of criminal contempt is to punish.”
Establishes the fundamental distinction between civil and criminal contempt that determines which constitutional protections apply
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceJones and Swindle were each subject to domestic violence final judgments of injunction requiring enrollment in the Advocate Program and other programs…
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ROTHENBERG, Judge.
In these consolidated cases, Kevin Jones (“Jones”) and Virgil Swindle (“Swindle”) seek habeas corpus relief based upon their confinement for 179 days and 240 days respectively, as a result of being found in civil contempt of court by the trial court for failure to comply with its orders. Because the orders issued by the trial court and the court history of each of the petitioners differ, we briefly address them separately.
JONES
A final domestic violence injunction was entered against Jones on September 14, 2006. The final judgment ordered Jones to report to the Advocate Program within twenty-four hours and to enroll in and successfully complete a certified batterer’s program and a substance abuse program, and to obtain a mental health evaluation and treatment through a licensed mental health professional.
Jones, however, failed to comply with the court’s order, which resulted in several notices and hearings for civil contempt. On February 6, 2007, the trial court entered an order finding Jones in civil contempt of court for failing to complete the Advocate Program; he was ordered to be confined at the Dade County Jail for 179 days commencing on February 13, 2007; and was given an opportunity to purge the order of contempt by re-enrolling in the Advocate Program within twenty-four hours and successfully completing it. Jones failed to avail himself of the purge provisions of the trial court’s civil contempt order, in that he failed to report to the Advocate Program, even after the trial court gave Jones several opportunities to do so. In justifiable frustration, the trial court noticed Jones for another contempt hearing, and ultimately found Jones to be in civil contempt for failing to comply with its orders, and sentenced Jones to 179 days in the Miami-Dade County jail.
SWINDLE
Swindle was likewise referred to the Advocate Program and ordered to enroll in and to complete various programs as a result of a domestic violence final judgment of injunction. When Swindle failed to comply with this order, the trial court twice noticed Swindle for contempt hearings, at which he failed to appear, and which resulted in warrants being issued for his arrest. The third such notice, and subsequent hearing, resulted in Swindle being found in civil contempt of court. The trial court’s order sentenced Swindle to sixty days in the Miami-Dade County jail and contained a purge provision of enrollment and successful completion of the Advocate Program.
Swindle continued to fail to comply with the trial court’s orders, even after being brought before the trial court on several occasions for civil contempt hearings. After at least seven separate notices being-issued for contempt proceedings and several findings of civil contempt, Swindle was ultimately sentenced to 240 days in the Miami-Dade County jail.
ANALYSIS
Each contempt order issued by the trial court for Jones and Swindle, excluding the last orders by the trial court finding each to be in civil contempt of court and sentencing Jones to 179 days and Swindle to 240 days incarceration, contained a purge provision and is not under review. The last orders issued by the trial court, finding each to be in civil contempt of court, and sentencing each to incarceration, do not contain a purge provision. Jones and Swindle, therefore, argue that the contempt orders under review are criminal in nature, governed by Rule 3.840, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, and that the provisions of this rule were not complied with. We agree.
Civil contempt and criminal contempt are quite different. Civil contempt is designed to obtain compliance with a court order, whereas, the purpose of criminal contempt is to punish. See Bowen v. Bowen, 471 So. 2d 1274, 1277 (Fla.1985). Because incarceration is utilized to obtain compliance in a civil contempt proceeding, the contemnor must be given the ability to comply with the court’s order. Therefore, a civil contempt sanction must include a purge provision. Parisi v. Broward County, 769 So. 2d 359, 365 (Fla.2000) (finding that a civil contempt order must include a purge provision); Bowen, 471 So. 2d at 1277 (“Because incarceration is utilized solely to obtain compliance, it must be used only when the contemnor has the ability to comply.”).
Because it is clear that the trial court was no longer attempting to obtain compliance from either Jones and Swindle, but rather, to punish each for their contemptuous disregard for its orders, the contempt orders under review are criminal in nature, requiring that the contemnors be afforded constitutional due process protections afforded criminal defendants. Parisi, 769 So. 2d at 364-65. These include the right to be represented by counsel and, if indigent, to have counsel appointed. Id. Additionally, in the criminal contempt context, if the sanction involves imprisonment for more than six months, the contemnor has the right to a jury trial, and the trial court must issue a written order articulating the factual basis for the contempt finding. See Int’l Union, United Mine Workers of Am. v. Bagwell, 512 U.S. 821, 826-27, 114 S.Ct. 2552, 129 L.Ed.2d 642 (1994) (“For ‘serious’ criminal con-tempts involving imprisonment of more than six months, these protections include the right to jury trial.”); Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.840(f) (providing that an order finding the defendant in criminal contempt include a recital of the facts constituting the contempt).
CONCLUSION
Because the orders under review do not contain a purge provision, we grant the petitions as the defendants are not legally being detained under these contempt orders. We further instruct the trial court, if it wishes to impose a punishment for failing to comply with its orders, that it must comply with Rule 3.840, Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure, including (1) the issuance of an order to show cause to be served upon the defendants stating the facts upon which each defendant must answer; (2) the appointment of counsel if the defendant is indigent; (3) the opportunity for the defendant to elect a jury trial, if the sentence the trial court seeks to im pose is greater than six months; and (4) upon a finding of guilt, to afford the defendant with an opportunity to show good cause why the sentence should not be imposed and to offer evidence of mitigation. During the pendency of the matter, the trial court may consider and set bail in the manner provided by law in criminal cases. See Fla. R.Crim. P. 3.840(e).
Petitions granted, orders quashed, and Petitioners’ immediate release from the custody of Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department ordered.
This opinion shall take effect immediately, notwithstanding the filing of any motions for rehearing.
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Myer Berlow v. Berlow, 21 So. 3d 81 (Fla. 3d DCA 2009)…the complainant, while the goal of criminal contempt is to vindicate the authority of the court or to otherwise punish offensive conduct.” In re Steffens, 988 So. 2d 142, 144 (Fla. 5th DCA 2008); see also Parisi, 769 So. 2d at 363-64; Jones v. Ryan, 967 So. 2d 342, 344 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). “In order for a sanction to qualify as one imposable for civil contempt, it must contain a purge provision that affords the contemnor the opportunity to avoid the sanction.” Lewis v. Nical of Palm Beach, Inc., 959 So. 2d 745…
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J-Ii Invs., Inc. v. Leon Cnty., 21 So. 3d 86 (Fla. 1st DCA 2009)…s protections which would apply in a criminal trial, including the right to representation, the right against self incrimination, and the [*90] requirement that guilt be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. See Parisi, 769 So. 2d at 364; Jones v. Ryan, 967 So. 2d 342, 344 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). By contrast, civil contempt sanctions are viewed as nonpunitive and avoidable, and do not merit such extensive procedural protections. See Parisi, 769 So. 2d at 365; Channel Components, Inc. v. America II Elecs., Inc., 915…
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Parks v. Wells Fargo Home Mortg., 185 So. 3d 541 (Fla. 4th DCA 2016)…t order, it is flawed for failure to comport with the due process protections afforded criminal defendants, including the right to be represented by counsel, and the procedural requirements of Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.840. Jones v. Ryan, 967 So. 2d 342 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007). The record does not demonstrate that these, rights were extended to Parks. We reverse and remand with instructions for the trial .court to vacate the contempt order and jail.sanctions. Reversed and Remanded. TAYLOR, DAMOORGIAN…
Authorities Cited
- Eugenia Bowen & the Fla. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs. v. Bowen, 471 So. 2d 1274 (Fla. 1985)
- Int'l Union v. Bagwell, 512 U.S. 821 (U.S. 1994)
- Parisi v. Broward Cnty., 769 So. 2d 359 (Fla. 2000)