Cross Co. v. UAW Local No. 155

139 N.W.2d 694, 377 Mich. 202, 1966 Mich. LEXIS 99, 46 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2707
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 8, 1966
DocketCalendar 7, Docket 50,509
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 139 N.W.2d 694 (Cross Co. v. UAW Local No. 155) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cross Co. v. UAW Local No. 155, 139 N.W.2d 694, 377 Mich. 202, 1966 Mich. LEXIS 99, 46 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2707 (Mich. 1966).

Opinion

Adams, J.

This is an appeal from orders adjudging a union local and nine persons, officers or members of the union, guilty of contempt for violation of a temporary injunction. In a first appeal of this matter, Cross Company v. UAW Local No. 155, 371 Mich 184, it was decided: (1) that the trial court had jurisdiction to enter the temporary injunction, and (2) that the issuance of the injunction was supported by the record. Justice Souris then wrote (p 188):

“The parties to this appeal have been locked in mortal combat for over a decade.”

On the morning of August 4, 1959, the combat erupted into a strike. The same day, the company *207 obtained an ex parte restraining order. August 7th the order was vacated upon assurances from the union and the sheriff that picketing would be peaceful and order maintained. Order was not maintained. The judge was presented with evidence of mob rule and violence. On August 19th, he issued a temporary injunction. 1 On September 2d, 17th, and 21st, the company filed petitions for adjudication of contempt for violations of the injunction. After hearings on the petitions, the judge made findings of contempt. In their brief, defendants state:

“Appellants [defendants] concede that various incidents of vandalism, violence, intimidation, and threats occurred intermittently during the period August 19th to September 21st. These included the spatting upon, scratching and striking of automobiles with rocks or other objects. Persons in or near the picket line also tried, on occasion, to open the doors of passing automobiles and waved their fists *208 at the occupants. Witnesses also testified that at various times during this period, unidentified persons in the picket line and in the group on the south side of 14 Mile road shouted obscene, foul, and threatening language at nonstrikers and other persons passing in and out of the plant.

“On the mornings of September 15th and September 18th, a large number of persons congregated in front of the gate. There was mass assembly and disturbances on both occasions. On September 15th, the number reached an estimated total of 400-800 in the vicinity of the plant. The crowd overturned an automobile, injuring one of its six occupants, and then interfered with the progress of a wrecker and ambulance called to the scene. Another automobile driven by a nonstriker (Boza), was stoned and hit by a ‘paint bomb’ and turned back from the plant. The massed assembly precluded any one from entering plaintiff’s plant for several hours. On September 18th, another large group, estimated at 800-1000, gathered in front of the premises hut police barred all traffic on 14 Mile road, thereby precluding admission to the plant until the group dispersed around 10 a.m.

“Appellants disclaimed responsibility for the incidents of vandalism, violence, threats and further denied any responsibility for the congregations at the plant on the morning of September 15th and 18th and the conduct of the people so assembled.”

I.

The first question presented is the nature of this contempt proceeding. One purpose served by such a proceeding is the preservation of the power and dignity of the court. This aspect has been repeatedly recognized in Michigan. People, ex rel. Messler, v. Simonson, 9 Mich 492; In re Chadwick, 109 Mich 588, 596; Great Lakes Greyhound Lines v. International Union, UAW-CIO, 341 Mich 290, 301, *209 appeal dismissed, 350 US 804 (76 S Ct 45, 100 L ed 723). Consequently, Judge Noe did not err when he stated:

“This is strictly a matter of disobedience of a court order. As I have said many times, it has nothing to do with the actual controversy which exists between the company and the employees.”

While recognizing this facet of the proceeding, Judge Noe and the parties also regarded it as in the nature of a criminal one. In one colloquy, Judge Noe observed:

“It has some criminal aspects so far as punishment is concerned.” (Emphasis supplied.)

Appellants’ counsel so viewed the proceedings. He stated:

“Without deciding what may be the rule in civil contempt, it is certain that in proceedings for criminal contempt the defendant is presumed to be innocent. He must be proven to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and cannot be compelled to testify against himself. * * * 2

“Certainly this warrants the serious consideration and the safeguards and the sober reflection that deliberation and consideration, which clothes criminal proceedings and which is part of our system.”

On another occasion, counsel for appellants stated:

“Contempt proceedings should not be used as an aid to the company in this sort of a situation, the contempt being criminal, to vindicate the authority of the Court.”

All contempt proceedings, because they necessarily involve adverse parties already in litigation. *210 are likely to confer benefits upon the party moving for adjudication of contempt. If the endeavor is to enforce the payment of alimony or to compel some desired action, the benefit is obvious. In other situations, the benefit may be more subtle though no less real. While no doubt there are certain civil aspects to this proceeding, they need not here be further pursued because, when one is charged with a crime, the law is more exacting for the protection of individual rights than is the case with the civil law. The crucial question is whether the contempts here charged 3 are criminal.

The controlling element in the proceeding was the clearly envisioned possibility throughout of fines and imprisonment as provided in the statute. 4 The union was fined. Individual defendants were fined and given prison sentences. Those sentences were in the nature of punishment for offenses committed, not to enforce the performance of an act. The proceedings, therefore, had to be carried on in observance of basic constitutional protections afforded to those charged with commission of a crime.

*211 II.

While we categorize this as being a criminal proceeding, it does not follow that it must have all the attributes of the usual criminal proceeding—one of which is trial by jury. Contempt, it has been said, is an anomaly. 5 In view of the long historical development of contempt proceedings under the authority of a judge, we are not ready—as the United States Supreme Court has not been ready—to declare it is a necessary constitutional prerequisite to a criminal contempt proceeding that a defendant be afforded a jury trial. United States v. Barnett, 376 US 681 (84 S Ct 984, 12 L ed 2d 23).

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Bluebook (online)
139 N.W.2d 694, 377 Mich. 202, 1966 Mich. LEXIS 99, 46 L.R.R.M. (BNA) 2707, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cross-co-v-uaw-local-no-155-mich-1966.