City of Bernalillo v. Aragon

673 P.2d 831, 100 N.M. 547
CourtNew Mexico Court of Appeals
DecidedDecember 6, 1983
DocketNo. 7246
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 673 P.2d 831 (City of Bernalillo v. Aragon) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New Mexico Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
City of Bernalillo v. Aragon, 673 P.2d 831, 100 N.M. 547 (N.M. Ct. App. 1983).

Opinion

OPINION

LOPEZ, Judge.

The defendant appeals his conviction for direct contempt in the municipal court. We affirm.

The defendant presents three issues for our consideration: 1. Whether the district court erred in refusing to grant a trial de novo to appellant on his criminal contempt conviction contrary to NMSA 1978, Mun.R. 39(i) (Repl.Pamp.1982). 2. Whether the district court erred in its use of the procedurally defective municipal court record to sustain appellant’s convictions. Instead, argues defendant, the district court was required to reverse the convictions due to the procedural errors of the municipal court. 3. Whether the municipal court erred in finding defendant to be in contempt without holding a hearing on the alleged contempt.

FACTS

The facts involving defendant’s contempt conviction are those contained in documents made available to the district court, including a police report, the signed written statements of witnesses and an affidavit written by the municipal judge. A summary of the relevant evidence is as follows:

1. Police Report: Defendant argued with the municipal court judge over the fairness of an ordinance, the enforcement of which led to defendant’s conviction. After sentencing defendant for interference with an officer in charge, the judge announced that defendant was in contempt of court and sentenced defendant accordingly. While leaving the courtroom, defendant stated something like “this court sucks” and “what do you have to do, kick ass around here or what?”

2. Kathy Ortiz: While in court defendant stated that “this court sucked.” The municipal judge then imposed a ten day sentence for contempt of court.

3. Eddie DeLara, Jr.: At the end of defendant’s hearing in municipal court, defendant stated that “the court sucked.” The municipal judge then found defendant in contempt of court and sentenced him to ten days in jail.

4. Carolyn Lee: After the municipal court judge sentenced defendant to ninety days probation, defendant stated that the “court sucks.” When the Judge asked what defendant had said, defendant said the “court sucks.” The court then sentenced defendant to ten days in jail for contempt of court.

5. Affidavit of Judge Lorenzo Casaus: During the course of defendant’s trial in municipal court defendant made “many contemptuous remarks” with reference to the judicial proceedings. Affiant advised defendant not to be disrespectful to the court as defendant could be found in contempt of court. Defendant continued to be disrespectful in many ways, “including but not limited to blasphemies and obscenities directed at” affiant. Defendant was ultimately held to be in contempt of court.

ISSUE NO. 1. Whether Defendant Was Entitled to a Trial De Novo as to the Contempt Charge.

Under this point defendant challenges the district court’s judgment mainly on the failure of the district court to grant a trial de novo on the contempt charge relying on Rule 39(a) and 39(i).

The city contends that the district court’s judgment was substantially correct and is not subject to reversal.

Our duty in this case is to decide whether our interpretation of the applicable law and statutes of the State of New Mexico provide a trial de novo to the defendant on the direct contempt charges.

Rule 39(a) of the Rules of Procedure for the Municipal Courts states:

(a) Right of appeal by defendant. A defendant who is aggrieved by any judgment rendered by the municipal court may appeal to the district court of the county within which the municipal court is located within fifteen days after entry of the judgment or final order.
Rule 39(i): Trial de novo. All trials upon appeals from the municipal court to the district court shall be de novo and shall be governed by the Rules of Criminal Procedure for the District Courts.
Rule 33(b): Summary Disposition. A contempt may be punished summarily if the judge certifies that he saw or heard the conduct constituting the contempt and that it was committed in the actual presence of the court. The order of contempt shall recite the facts and shall be signed by the judge and entered of record.

Rule 39(a) governs appeal by defendant. Rule 39(i) provides for trial de novo.

The language in 33(b) allowing for an order of contempt is very clear and there appears to be no ambiguity. The language in 39(a) is also very clear and both 39(a) and 39(i) allow for appeal for trial de novo from judgments rendered by the municipal courts for trial de novo in the district court.

The case at bar involves an appeal from the municipal court for a direct contempt matter.

Actions for contempt are sui generis. Jencks v. Goforth, 57 N.M. 627, 261 P.2d 655 (1953). Direct contempt is generally considered to necessitate immediate action in order to maintain the dignity and authority of the court as compared to conduct outside of the court’s presence, amounting to indirect contempt. See Roybal v. Martinez, 92 N.M. 630, 593 P.2d 71 (Ct.App.1979); Ex parte Terry, 128 U.S. 289, 9 S.Ct. 77, 32 L.Ed. 405 (1888). The rationale for allowing summary procedures for direct contempt is that when the contempt occurs in the presence of the court, the judge is fully aware of all facts necessary to the contempt determination. See State v. Diamond, 94 N.M. 118, 607 P.2d 656 (Ct.App.1980).

Considering the facts of this case and the statutes and legal authorities which we have cited and reviewed, we conclude that since Rule 33(b) allows an order for contempt without trial it makes no sense to conclude that Rule 39(i) would apply to Rule 33(b) by allowing a trial de novo.

We conclude therefore that defendant was not entitled to a trial de novo on his direct contempt charges which took place before the municipal court and the district court judge correctly denied defendant a trial de novo.

ISSUE NO. 2. Whether the Record Relied Upon on Appeal by the District Court was Procedurally Defective so as to Require Reversal of Defendant’s Conviction for Contempt.

The defendant challenges his conviction by the District Court on grounds, first, that the municipal judge failed to comply with the requirements of the municipal court and, second, that the record which the municipal court provided to the district court did not afford a complete basis for review.

The city contends that even if there was no literal and complete compliance with Rule 33(b), there has been substantial compliance with that rule, and if there was any error the error was nevertheless harmless under NMSA 1978, Mun.R. 35 (Repl.Pamp. 1982).

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Bluebook (online)
673 P.2d 831, 100 N.M. 547, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/city-of-bernalillo-v-aragon-nmctapp-1983.