Judicial Code

Chapter VI: Contempt of Tribal Court

Section 1.          Definition of Contempt.

Willful misbehavior by any person which disrupts, obstructs, or otherwise interferes with the conduct of any proceeding by the Tribal Court, or which obstructs or interferes with the administration of justice by the Tribal Court, or which constitutes disobedience or resistance to or interference with any lawful summons, subpoena, process, order, rule, decree or command of the Tribal Court shall constitute contempt of Tribal Court.  The willful failure of a party to comply with the terms of a judgment directed against her/him, with which she/he is able to comply, shall be contempt of the Tribal Court which shall be punished by the Tribal Court in the manner prescribed by this Code.

Section 2.          Contempt in Presence of Court.

When contempt of Tribal Court is committed in the presence of a Tribal Judge it may be punished summarily by that Tribal Judge. In such case an order shall then be made reciting the facts constituting the contempt, adjudging the person guilty of contempt, and prescribing the punishment therefor in accord with Chapter VI, Section 4 of this Code.

Section 3.          Contempt Outside Presence of Court.

When it appears to the Tribal Court that a contempt may have been committed out of the presence of the Court, the Tribal Court may issue a summons to the person so charged directing her/him to appear at a time and place designated for a hearing on the matter.  If such person served with the summons fails to appear at the time and place so designated, the Tribal Court shall conduct a hearing, and if it finds her/him guilty of contempt, an order shall then be made reciting the facts constituting the contempt, adjudging the person guilty of contempt, and prescribing the punishment therefor in accord with Chapter VI, Section 4 of this Code.

Section 4.          Punishment for Contempt.

Any person found in contempt of court or of any ordinances of the Tribe is amenable to a civil fine not to exceed $200.00 as may be determined by a Judge of the Tribal Court.

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