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15 Misc. 438

Wolfe v. Knight

City of New York Municipal Court

Decided January 15, 1896

City of New York Municipal Court · decided 1896-01-15

<p>Contempt—Contents of obdeb.</p> <p>An order adjudging a party guilty of a civil contempt which omits to state that it had been determined that the misconduct defeated, impaired, impeded or prejudiced the rights or remedies of the other party to the proceeding is fatally defective.</p>

Decided 1896-01-15

McCarthy, J.

¶1The order of September 17, 1895, which purports to adjudge the judgment debtor guilty of misconduct constituting a civil contempt omitted to declare that it had been ascertained and determined that the misconduct complained of defeated, impaired, impeded or prejudiced the rights or remedies of the party to the proceeding, and because of this alone it was fatally defective ( Wolf v. Buttner, 6 Misc. Rep. 119 ; 26 N. Y. Supp. 25) and must be reversed.

¶2It is not enough that property is found in the hands of the judgment debtor.

¶3Besides, the proceedings appear to have been dismissed by an order of Justice Conlan and in proper form.

¶4If there was any irregularity in the mode of dismissal, plaintiff could only take advantage of it by application to set it aside and revive the proceedings. Without such the court had no jurisdiction and could not punish the defendant.

¶5Order is, therefore, reversed, vacated and set aside, with costs.

¶6Fitzsimons, J., concurs.

¶7Order reversed, with costs.

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