What is a contempt citation?

A contempt citation is a court order issued by a judge in South Carolina to punish someone for not following the court’s instructions. It is typically used when a party is refusing to comply with the court’s ruling. The most common type of contempt citation is civil contempt, which is when a person does not abide by court orders in a civil case. For example, a judge may issue a contempt citation if a person fails to pay a debt, return property, or appear in court after being ordered to do so. This is an attempt to force the individual to comply with the court’s order, and failure to comply can result in sanctions, including jail time. A second type of contempt citation is criminal contempt, which is often used to punish someone for disruptiveness or contemptuous behavior in court. This could include angry outbursts, using profanity, and other rude or disrespectful behavior. In either case, the judge has the power to issue a fine, impose a jail sentence, or both.

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What is a contempt citation?

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