Strain v. Griffin

612 P.2d 106, 290 Or. 535, 1981 Ore. LEXIS 693
Oregon Supreme Court·Decided February 25, 1981·No. SC 27618·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinions

LENT, J.

The issue is whether a civil contemnor may stay his imprisonment for the contempt by filing notice of appeal from the order of contempt, supported by an undertaking for costs on appeal. We hold that he may.

This exercise of original jurisdiction in habeas corpus1 concerns a claim by one imprisoned under ORS 33.020(2).2 The plaintiff was found by the circuit court to be in contempt of court for failure to comply with an order of that court entered in a child custody dispute. The court ordered that plaintiff be confined in the county jail until he did comply with the order of the circuit court. The defendant, in his capacity as sheriff, has had plaintiff in custody in the county jail since the time of that order.

Plaintiff filed a notice of appeal from the order finding him to be in contempt and also filed an undertaking in the sum of $1,000, utilizing the printed form of the corporation which is surety upon the undertaking. The condition of the undertaking was that if this plaintiff, as principal, should adhere to the "indicated state statute,” the obligation was to be void. The state statute was indicated by checking one of several boxes, which, respectively, referred to brief descriptions of the nature of the undertaking followed by the statute number pertaining to that kind of undertaking. On this undertaking the box checked was followed by the description, "Cost bond on Appeal” and "ORS 19.040.” ORS 19.040(1)3 provides:

"The undertaking of the appellant shall be given with one or more sureties, to the effect that the appellant will pay all damages, costs and disbursements which may be awarded against him on the appeal; but such undertaking does not stay the proceedings, unless the undertaking further provides to the effect following:
[538] "(a) If the judgment or decree appealed from is for the recovery of money or of personal property or the value thereof, that if the same or any part thereof is affirmed, the appellant will satisfy it so far as affirmed.
"(b) If the judgment or decree appealed from is for the recovery of the possession of real property, for a partition thereof, or the foreclosure of a lien thereon, that dining the possession of such property by the appellant he will not commit, or suffer to be committed, any waste thereon, and that if such judgment or decree or any part thereof is affirmed, the appellant will pay the value of the use and occupation of such property, so far as affirmed, from the time of the appeal until the delivery of the possession thereof, not exceeding the sum therein specified, to be ascertained and tried by the court or judge thereof.
"(c) If the decree appealed from requires the transfer or delivery of any personal property, unless the things required to be transferred or delivered are brought into court, or placed in the custody of such officer or receiver as the court may appoint, that the appellant will obey the decree of the appellate court. The amount of such undertaking shall be specified therein, and be fixed by the court or judge thereof.
"(d) When the decree appealed from is for the foreclosure of a lien, and also against the person for the amount of the debt secured thereby, the undertaking shall also be to the effect that the appellant will pay any portion of such decree remaining unsatisfied after the sale of the property upon which the lien is foreclosed.”

A typewritten line on the printed form made the undertaking subject to an attached rider signed by the principal and surety. The rider follows:

"It is further agreed that Plaintiff will pay damages, costs and disbursements awarded against him on appeal and if the Judgement of Contempt should be affirmed, either in whole or in part, he would satisfy the same so far as affirmed.
"The aggregate of all claims hereunder shall not exceed $1,000.00.”

It has been suggested that the order of the circuit court is not an appealable order. ORS 33.150 provides:

"Either party to a judgment in a proceeding for a contempt may appeal therefrom, in like manner and with like effect as from a judgment in an action, but the appeal shall not stay the proceedings in any other action, suit or [539] proceeding, or upon any judgment, decree or order therein, concerning which or wherein such contempt was committed.”

In State ex rel v. Downing, 40 Or 309, 58 P 863, 66 P 917 (1901), the appellant had been found guilty of contempt in the circuit court for failure to obey an order of that court to apply certain funds to satisfaction of a judgment. Upon that court’s finding of the contempt, appellant was ordered to pay a fine of $25 and to be imprisoned until he had complied with the order to apply the funds to the satisfaction of the judgment. The order upon contempt had a further provision which this court construed to be one for stay of execution rather than a withholding of a final conclusion and adjudication upon the matter of contempt. This court, in denying a motion to dismiss the appeal, held (40 Or at 313-314):

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Strain v. Griffin, 612 P.2d 106, 290 Or. 535, 1981 Ore. LEXIS 693 (Or. 1981).

612 P.2d 106 (Strain v. Griffin) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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