785.02 Power of court to punish for contempt of court. A court of record may impose a remedial or punitive sanction for contempt of court under this chapter.
History: 1979 c. 257.
A juvenile was improperly held in contempt of court when the court did not sufficiently consider less restrictive alternative dispositions. A juvenile may be found in contempt and incarcerated subject to enumerated conditions. In Interest of D.L.D. 110 Wis. 2d 168, 327 N.W.2d 682 (1983).
A contemnor whose liberty interests are at risk must be given an opportunity to show the court that the failure to comply with purge conditions was not willful and intentional. V.J.H. v. C.A.B. 163 Wis. 2d 833, 472 N.W.2d 939 (Ct. App. 1991).
Necessary conditions for imposition of summary contempt are enumerated. Extreme intoxication of a criminal defendant at a sentencing hearing was properly punished by summary contempt. Shepard v. Outagamie County Circuit Court, 189 Wis. 2d 279, 525 N.W.2d 769 (Ct. App. 1994).
When dealing with a payment as a remedial sanction to compensate a party for a loss suffered as a result of contempt, it is possible for there to be a purge condition without a sanction or for the purge condition to be the same as the sanction. Frisch v. Henrichs, 2007 WI 102, 304 Wis. 2d 1, 736 N.W.2d 85, 05-0534.
Courts may hold juveniles in contempt of court. The limited circumstances under which the sanction of imprisonment may be imposed is discussed. 70 Atty. Gen. 98.
Contempt of court: Wisconsin's erasure of the blurred distinction between civil and criminal contempt. 66 MLR 369 (1983).