6th Circuit Tosses Contempt Order for Lawyer Arrested For Missing Court; ‘Embattled’ Judge Presided
The ABA Journal reports that a Cleveland lawyer who was arrested and held in contempt after missing a show-cause hearing will get a new chance to make his case before a different federal judge.
U.S. District Judge John Adams of Akron had ordered the arrest of Brent English after the lawyer didn’t appear for an Oct. 29, 2015, hearing to show cause why he shouldn’t be held in contempt for missing a prior court date on Oct. 21. Federal marshals delivered English to Adams’ courtroom and the judge held a hearing. Adams found English in contempt and fined him $500, writes Debra Cassens Weiss.
The appeals court said in its Aug. 23 decision that Adams had used the wrong standard to judge what amounted to a criminal contempt case against English.
