Pattinson v. Stephens
Pattinson v. Stephens
Opinion of the Court
ON MOTION TO DISMISS APPEAL
We dismiss this appeal taken by a former husband from a final order finding appellant’s former wife to not be in criminal contempt of court. As distinguished from civil contempt, which is court coercion applied for the benefit of a civil litigant, the only proper objective of criminal contempt is as punishment to vindicate the authority of a court. Even when an alleged criminal contempt arises out of a civil case it is not a part of the civil cause and a civil litigant has no standing to appeal the judge’s determination that, under the circumstances presented, the dignity and authority of the court does not require a finding of guilt of criminal contempt. While we find no authority on point, see generally South Dade Farms, Inc. v. Peters, 88 So.2d 891 (Fla. 1956).
DISMISSED.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jeffrey Inman PATTINSON v. Mary STEPHENS
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published