Moulds v. Bradley’s Empirical Analysis

Citation profile

22 state decisions

Most-quoted passages

The sentences later courts lift from this opinion, ranked by how many decisions quote each — the parts of the opinion doing the work. These counts are smaller than the citation total above because most of the 22 citing decisions cite the case generally; a passage count includes only decisions quoting that exact language verbatim.

1. “Direct criminal contempt involves words spoken or actions committed in the presence of the court that are calculated to embarrass or prevent the orderly administration of justice. Punishment for direct contempt may be meted out instantly by the judge in whose presence the offensive conduct was committed.... Unlike direct contempt, constructive contempt involves actions which are committed outside the presence of the court ... In the case of constructive criminal contempt, we have held that defendants must be provided with procedural due process safeguards, including a specification of charges, notice, and a hearing.”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. In Re Hampton · 824 So. 2d 604 - Dennis v. Dennis

2. “[A] criminal contempt proceeding is maintained solely and simply to vindicate the authority of the court or to punish otherwise for conduct offensive to the public in violation of an order of the court”

   4 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. 824 So. 2d 604 - Dennis v. Dennis · 958 So. 2d 213 - Balius v. Gaines

3. “There is no precedent in this State's jurisprudence for the award of punitive damages as a sanction for failing to pay child support. Moreover, [the mother] does not cite any authority from other jurisdictions in support of this practice. After a diligent search, we could find only one court awarding punitive damages for criminal contempt, which was deemed a fine, payable to the court, not the opposing party.”

   2 later decisions quote this exact passage
   e.g. Williams v. Duckett · 991 So. 2d 1165 - In Re Guardianship of Duckett