Can you go to jail for being in contempt of court?

Can you go to jail for being in contempt of court?

In most cases, if someone is held in contempt, the court will first give them the opportunity to make amends for the violation. Contempt of court punishment can include jail time, but that is generally rare. The entire point of civil contempt was originally to coerce compliance rather than punish with confinement.

How bad is a contempt of court charge?

Most often, civil contempt of court involves failure to satisfy a court order. Generally, sanction for civil contempt end when the party in contempt complies with the court order, or the underlying case resolves. Civil contempt can result in punishment including jail time and/or a fine.

What does contempt of court mean for child custody?

A motion for contempt of court in a child custody context simply alleges that the ex violated the court’s custody order. Civil contempt occurs when a party fails to obey a judge’s order (such as when they fail to obey custody orders).