Ex parte Valeria Frye Walker (In re: Lashundra Lewis Fowler v. Eddie Fowler II)

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REL: 03/08/2013 Notice: T h i s o p i n i o n i s s u b j e c t t o formal r e v i s i o n b e f o r e p u b l i c a t i o n i n t h e advance s h e e t s o f Southern R e p o r t e r . R e a d e r s a r e r e q u e s t e d t o n o t i f y t h e R e p o r t e r o f D e c i s i o n s , Alabama A p p e l l a t e C o u r t s , 300 D e x t e r A v e n u e , M o n t g o m e r y , A l a b a m a 3 6 1 0 4 - 3 7 4 1 ((334) 2 2 9 - 0 6 4 9 ) , o f a n y t y p o g r a p h i c a l o r o t h e r e r r o r s , i n o r d e r t h a t c o r r e c t i o n s may b e made b e f o r e t h e o p i n i o n i s p r i n t e d i n Southern R e p o r t e r . ALABAMA COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS OCTOBER TERM, 2012-2013 2110602 Ex p a r t e V a l e r i a Frye Walker (In r e : Lashundra Lewis Fowler v. Eddie Fowler I I ) Appeal from J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t (DR-11-411) Court PER CURIAM. Valeria Frye Walker appeals from a judgment e n t e r e d by t h e J e f f e r s o n C i r c u i t C o u r t ("the t r i a l c o u r t " ) f i n d i n g W a l k e r i n d i r e c t c r i m i n a l contempt o f c o u r t d u r i n g her r e p r e s e n t a t i o n 2110602 of Lashundra Lewis relations reverse Fowler ("the p l a i n t i f f " ) c a s e t h a t was p e n d i n g b e f o r e the t r i a l domesticcourt. We t h e f i n d i n g o f contempt. On M a r c h 9 , 2 0 1 2 , a h e a r i n g court in a i n the underlying was h e l d before domestic-relations the t r i a l case r e g a r d i n g a m o t i o n f i l e d b y W a l k e r r e q u e s t i n g t h a t Judge D o r o t h e a B a t i s t e recuse herself defendant") plaintiff and a motion to disqualify because with case a t i s s u e b e f o r e and that that, Walker from counsel Walker regarding threatened among to I I ("the the representing At that hearing, t h i n g s , t h a t she the domestic-relations Walker began r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e p l a i n t i f f other things, d i s q u a l i f y , the defendant's had was s t a t e d , among o t h e r j u s t i f y i n g Walker's d i s q u a l i f i c a t i o n . to Fowler representing pending l e g a l a c t i o n . the defendant's counsel consulted by E d d i e the defendant's Walker i n a separate had filed subpoena created In arguing counsel her. a asserted At that conflict the motion that time, Walker Walker o b j e c t e d , c i t i n g h e a r s a y as t h e g r o u n d f o r t h e o b j e c t i o n . The trial the court overruled the objection, holding s t a t e m e n t was n o t h e a r s a y . Walker continued o b j e c t , a n d , upon t h e t r i a l court's 2 continued that t o p r o t e s t and overruling of 2110602 the o b j e c t i o n , Walker s t a t e d : w a r n e d W a l k e r t h a t she would not "tolerate "Exception." would not defendant's what's happened i n the again attorney to s t a t e d : "Exception." trial court argue w i t h W a l k e r , t h a t i t Walker " w i l l r e s p e c t t h i s Court." the The The trial proceed, at past," court which Walker p u r p o r t e d and instructed time Walker to explain purpose of t h a t statement, b u t , at t h a t t i m e , the t r i a l ordered t h a t W a l k e r be W a l k e r was taken into custody. r e t u r n e d t o t h e c o u r t r o o m and that After the court a recess, the h e a r i n g resumed w i t h t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s c o u n s e l c o n t i n u i n g h e r argument r e g a r d i n g the motion to d i s q u a l i f y . Once t h e defendant's counsel had concluded her argument, the t r i a l c o u r t s i g n a l e d f o r Walker to respond. Despite the defendant's counsel's attempted direction simply respond to the argument on t h e p e n d i n g m o t i o n s , W a l k e r s e v e r a l times b e e n l o c k e d up to to note on in a holding c e l l . the record that she When W a l k e r c o n t i n u e d had to a t t e m p t t o s t a t e on t h e r e c o r d t h a t she had b e e n l o c k e d up i n a h o l d i n g c e l l , the t r i a l day because, [defense i t said, counsel's] oral c o u r t ended the p r o c e e d i n g s Walker was arguments." 3 not f o r the "[r]espond[ing] to 2110602 On March following 12, exchange 2012, the hearing continued and occurred: "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : Okay. Very w e l l . Ms. Walker, your response t o the Motion t o D i s q u a l i f y . "[Walker]: Judge? "[The t r i a l You hadn't court]: already ruled on that, No. " [ W a l k e r ] : D i d you r u l e on s o m e t h i n g ? Can I g e t a -- t h e o r d e r o f t h e r e c o r d -- you h a d a l r e a d y r u l e d on s o m e t h i n g , am I c o r r e c t ? "[The t r i a l the Motion c o u r t ] : Ms. to D i s q u a l i f y Walker, i s on the your motion table, so -¬ you need t o r e s p o n d t o -¬ " [ W a l k e r ] : I'm j u s t t r y i n g t o remember where we were. to "[The t r i a l Disqualify. "(At c o u r t ] : Your response t o the Motion w h i c h t i m e t h e r e was a b r i e f pause.) " [ W a l k e r ] : Okay. I d o n ' t q u i t e remember e x a c t l y where we w e r e , b u t i n l o o k i n g a t t h i s c o u r t r e p o r t h e r e , I was g o i n g t o say -¬ "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : No, you a r e t o r e s p o n d t o the Motion t o D i s q u a l i f y , Counsel. J u s t respond t o the Motion t o D i s q u a l i f y , Counsel. " [ W a l k e r ] : I u n d e r s t a n d what y o u ' r e s a y i n g , Y o u r H o n o r , b u t w i t h a l l due "[The motion trial respect court]: -¬ Counsel, 4 respond to the the 2110602 " [ W a l k e r ] : -- I am t r y i n g t o g e t a f e e l f o r where I am i n my r e s p o n s e [ t o ] t h e m o t i o n . "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : You n e v e r s a i d a w o r d , Ms. Walker. Respond t o t h e M o t i o n t o D i s q u a l i f y . " [ W a l k e r ] : A n d t h a t ' s what I'm t r y i n g t o g e t "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : Y o u ' r e n o t g o i n g t o a r g u e w i t h me. Just respond t o the Motion t o D i s q u a l i f y . You have t h e r e c o r d . I have i t h e r e i n f r o n t o f me. Just respond t o the Motion t o D i s q u a l i f y , Counsel." At made that by time, Walker the defendant's disqualify. the After following began t o r e s p o n d t o t h e counsel regarding the motion a l e n g t h y response, Walker exchange arguments c o n t i n u e d and occurred: " [ W a l k e r ] : The i s s u e a b o u t t h e [ p e n d e n t e l i t e ] a g r e e m e n t -- t h e c l i e n t , t h e o t h e r a t t o r n e y a n d [ t h e d e f e n d a n t ' s a t t o r n e y ] met w i t h you i n y o u r c h a m b e r s . They came b a c k t o my c l i e n t a n d s a i d what you were g o i n g t o do. T h a t ' s when s h e h a d no o t h e r c h o i c e but t o agree. "You rule. had a l r e a d y said how you were You h a d a l r e a d y s a i d t h e c h i l d r e n going to were g o i n g t o be g o i n g -¬ "[The t r i a l court]: "[Walker]: I c a n o n l y go -¬ "[The court]: trial h e r e , Ms. W a l k e r ? Were you h e r e , Ms. W a l k e r ? Were you h e r e ? Were you Were you h e r e ? "[Walker]: You know, Y o u r Honor, I was n o t . "[The t r i a l court]: You were n o t h e r e . 5 to 2110602 "[Walker]: I was not here. "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : S t a t e why you s h o u l d n o t be d i s q u a l i f i e d , why you s h o u l d n o t be d i s q u a l i f i e d . "[Walker]: -- t h e a t t o r n e y s on, Y o u r Honor, Five. You t h i n k be d i s q u a l i f i e d ? "[The trial Because a t t o r n e y s they d i f f e r i n -- I have a c a s e r i g h t now t h a t I'm t h e r e ' s been f i v e a t t o r n e y s i n i t . t h a t b e c a u s e I'm n o t h e r e I s h o u l d I w a s n ' t on t h e c a s e ? court]: "[Walker]: Are "[Walker]: No, "[The court]: trial I'm Ms. No, -- u n d e r s t a n d "[The court]: trial the order of t h i s Court. I am state not g o i n g why you No, Now, should no, You I'm no, trying you do get to not what y o u ' r e a s k i n g you f a i l to n o t be j u s t a s k e d me Ms. -¬ understand I have i n s t r u c t e d t o a r g u e w i t h you, "[Walker]: me? W a l k e r , you do n o t a s k i n g -- "[Walker]: said -¬ I s t h a t what y o u ' r e a s k i n g "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : to q u e s t i o n the Court. and you you disqualified. Walker. a question. "[The t r i a l c o u r t ] : I s a i d s t a t e why you s h o u l d n o t be d i s q u a l i f i e d . 'State' i s simple. I am n o t g o i n g t o a r g u e w i t h you t o d a y , Ms. W a l k e r . "[Walker]: No. I j u s t want t o r e p e a t -- and I want -- you know, i t ' s n o t a b o u t a r g u m e n t s . That's what I do; t h a t ' s my j o b , i s a r g u i n g . "[The ends -- trial court]: Okay. 6 A l l right. This 2110602 "[Walker]: That's "[The trial court]: are disorderly. You what You You -are found i n contempt. have d i s r e s p e c t f u l to t h i s Court. "[Walker]: repeatedly been I i n s t r u c t e d you -¬ How? "[The t r i a l court]: I i n s t r u c t e d you last Friday. You have come i n t o my c h a m b e r s , and you have y e l l e d a t me w i t h o t h e r c o u n s e l p r e s e n t and my staff. I'm n o t g o i n g t o a r g u e w i t h you, Ms. W a l k e r . "You a r e h e r e b y f o u n d i n d i r e c t c o n t e m p t . You are to s u r r e n d e r y o u r s e l f to the J e f f e r s o n County J a i l , where you w i l l s i t f o r f i v e d a y s . I'm not g o i n g t o a r g u e w i t h you anymore. I'm n o t g o i n g t o a r g u e w i t h you anymore. "That's much." The trial contempt for it. Court i s adjourned. court her entered "willful an Thank you order failure finding to comply very Walker in with the p r o v i s i o n s of p r e v i o u s o r d e r s " of the t r i a l court; that order cited 2012, the events of March 9 and March 12, noting o b j e c t i o n s and e x c e p t i o n s made by W a l k e r and W a l k e r ' s to instruct W a l k e r had the t r i a l attempted court. The order without having f i l e d a motion attempt order a l s o i n d i c a t e d t o r e t r y a s e t t l e d pendente l i t e the that relief to reconsider that order; t h a t W a l k e r "had b e e n d i s r e s p e c t f u l t o t h e C o u r t on November 4, 2011, when she y e l l e d a t t h e C o u r t i n [ i t s ] Chambers"; t h a t 7 2110602 Walker had m i s s t a t e d the Court's b e h a v i o r had been d i s o r d e r l y h e l d Walker and r e c o r d ; and insolent. that The Walker's trial i n c r i m i n a l contempt f o r her b e h a v i o r , her t o f i v e days' imprisonment and r e t a i n e d j u r i s d i c t i o n court sentenced i n the J e f f e r s o n County o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g " f o r any Jail, further appropriate orders." On t h e same d a t e t h a t W a l k e r was trial the a r r e s t e d pursuant to the c o u r t ' s contempt o r d e r , the p r e s i d i n g c i r c u i t judge f o r civil order division directing of the the Jefferson sheriff Circuit to release Court Walker from upon h e r p o s t i n g a c a s h b o n d i n t h e amount o f $100; was c o n t i n g e n t upon W a l k e r ' s filed custody t h a t bond appearing i n the c o u r t to which h e r a p p e a l m i g h t be p r o s e c u t e d and h e r a g r e e m e n t t o a b i d e the r e s u l t of such a p p e a l . this c o u r t on M a r c h 21, Walker 819 2012. So. 2d 626, 8 by f i l e d a n o t i c e of appeal to " [ T ] h e s t a n d a r d o f r e v i e w i n an a p p e a l f r o m an a d j u d i c a t i o n of c r i m i n a l contempt o c c u r r i n g i n a civil case i s whether the o f f e n s e , i . e . , the contempt, was p r o v e d b e y o n d a r e a s o n a b l e doubt. H i c k s v. F e i o c k , 485 U.S. 624, 108 S.Ct. 1423, 99 L.Ed.2d 721 ( 1 9 8 8 ) ; Combs v. Ryan's C o a l Co., 785 F.2d 970 ( 1 1 t h C i r . 1 9 8 6 ) ; and U n i t e d S t a t e s v. T u r n e r , 812 F.2d 1552 ( 1 1 t h C i r . 1987) (an a t t o r n e y was f o u n d g u i l t y o f c r i m i n a l c o n t e m p t by U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t Judge B r e v a r d H a n d ) . " Ex p a r t e F e r g u s o n , an 629 ( A l a . 2001). 2110602 We agree with Walker that the issue to be decided on a p p e a l i s w h e t h e r W a l k e r ' s a c t i o n s amounted t o d i r e c t c r i m i n a l contempt of c o u r t . See A l a . Code 1975, § 12-1-11 ( e x p l a i n i n g t h a t t h e q u e s t i o n on a p p e a l by an a t t o r n e y who a contempt i n the guilty of defines circuit contempt). court Rule " d i r e c t contempt" i s punished for i s whether the 70A(a)(2)(A), Ala. attorney was R. P., Civ. as " d i s o r d e r l y or i n s o l e n t b e h a v i o r or other misconduct c o m m i t t e d i n open c o u r t , i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e j u d g e , t h a t d i s t u r b s t h e c o u r t ' s b u s i n e s s , where a l l of the e s s e n t i a l elements of the misconduct occur i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e c o u r t and a r e a c t u a l l y o b s e r v e d by the court, and where immediate action is e s s e n t i a l to prevent diminution of the court's d i g n i t y and a u t h o r i t y b e f o r e t h e p u b l i c . " Rule 70A(a)(2)(C), c o n t e m p t " as Ala. R. Civ. P., defines "criminal either: " ( I ) M i s c o n d u c t o f any p e r s o n t h a t o b s t r u c t s t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f j u s t i c e and t h a t i s c o m m i t t e d e i t h e r i n t h e c o u r t ' s p r e s e n c e o r so n e a r t h e r e t o as to i n t e r r u p t , d i s t u r b , or h i n d e r i t s p r o c e e d i n g s , or " ( i i ) W i l l f u l d i s o b e d i e n c e o r r e s i s t a n c e o f any p e r s o n t o a c o u r t ' s l a w f u l w r i t , subpoena, p r o c e s s , o r d e r , r u l e , o r command, where t h e d o m i n a n t p u r p o s e of the finding of contempt i s to punish the contemnor." I n H a w t h o r n e v. 1 9 9 2 ) , an State, a t t o r n e y was 611 So. 2d held i n direct 9 436 (Ala. Crim. c r i m i n a l contempt App. for 2110602 his use of the arguments. "[w]hile The the phrase "sons of bitches" during closing Alabama C o u r t of C r i m i n a l A p p e a l s n o t e d t h a t , language used was unprofessional, indecorous, u n n e c e s s a r y , and u n b e c o m i n g o f a member o f t h e b a r , t h e is devoid of essential to any prevent a u t h o r i t y before A l a . R. evidence diminution the p u b l i c . ' " C r i m . P., ( A l a . C i v . App. after continuing that he w o u l d be court had a held 'immediate of the action court's I d . a t 437 C i v . P.). 1 9 8 8 ) , an (quoting Rule to object continuing despite the objection i n c o n t e m p t i f he and was 33.1, So. 2d h e l d i n contempt court's advising ruling continued and respects I n I n r e P o w e r s , 523 attorney [was] dignity which i s i d e n t i c a l i n a l l m a t e r i a l t o R u l e 7 0 A ( a ) , A l a . R. 1079 that record to and that object. him he This stated: " W h i l e h i s a c t i o n c o n s t i t u t e d an e r r o r i n j u d g m e n t i n t h i s r e s p e c t , i t d i d not r i s e t o the l e v e l of c o n t e m p t u o u s c o n d u c t . An e r r o r i n j u d g m e n t w i t h o u t c l e a r and c o n v i n c i n g e v i d e n c e o f bad f a i t h i n t e n t i s i n s u f f i c i e n t f o r a f i n d i n g of contempt. In re C a r t e r , 412 So. 2d 811 ( A l a . C i v . App. 1 9 8 2 ) . The r e c o r d does n o t r e v e a l t h a t t h e a t t o r n e y had s u c h bad f a i t h i n t h i s c a s e . " 523 So. 2d a t In the March 9, 1082. present case, Walker's a c t i o n s 2012, were similar to 10 those by at the the hearing on attorney in 2110602 Powers, w h i c h t h i s c o u r t d e t e r m i n e d d i d n o t r i s e t o the l e v e l of direct criminal argumentativeness with contempt. the trial Walker's court on apparent March 12, 2012, a p p e a r s f r o m t h e t r a n s c r i p t t o be i n an a t t e m p t t o r e s p o n d t o the trial court's requests, and the record does t h a t W a l k e r a c t e d i n b a d f a i t h on t h a t o c c a s i o n . we not reveal Accordingly, c o n c l u d e t h a t W a l k e r ' s a c t i o n s a t t h e h e a r i n g s on M a r c h and With 12, 2012, regard d i d not to the amount t o d i r e c t trial o c c u r r e d i n i t s chambers court's criminal reference on November 11, 2012, t h e p a s s a g e o f f o u r months b e t w e e n 9 contempt. to what had we note that t h e i n c i d e n t and t h e e n t r y o f t h e c o n t e m p t o r d e r i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e a c t i o n s were n o t s u c h t h a t i m m e d i a t e a c t i o n was r e q u i r e d . Thus, w i t h r e g a r d t o t h a t i n c i d e n t , t h e t r i a l c o u r t f a i l e d t o comply w i t h R u l e 70A(b)(2) and ( 3 ) , A l a . R. C i v . P., which r e q u i r e the court to allow W a l k e r an o p p o r t u n i t y t o p r e s e n t any m i t i g a t i n g c i r c u m s t a n c e s and that the court pronounce w i t h i n seven days of the the sentence f o r the contempt offense. B a s e d on t h e f o r e g o i n g , we c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e t r i a l court e r r e d i n h o l d i n g Walker i n d i r e c t c r i m i n a l contempt o f c o u r t . The a d j u d i c a t i o n o f c o n t e m p t a g a i n s t Walker i s reversed, 11 and 2110602 the cause i s remanded f o r t h e t r i a l criminal-contempt court to dismiss the charge a g a i n s t Walker. REVERSED AND REMANDED WITH INSTRUCTIONS. P i t t m a n and Donaldson, J J . , concur. Thompson, without P . J . , a n d Moore, J . , c o n c u r writings. Thomas, J . , r e c u s e s h e r s e l f . 12 i n the r e s u l t ,

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