Wiktionary
n. 1 (context legal uncountable English) Open disrespect for or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law or legislative body, typically punishable by such sanctions as a fine or incarceration. 2 (context legal countable English) A particular act of open disrespect for or willful disobedience of the authority of a court of law. 3 (context legal countable English) A court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority.
WordNet
n. disrespect for the rules of a court of law
Wikipedia
Contempt of court, often referred to simply as "contempt", is the offense of being disobedient to or disrespectful towards a court of law and its officers in the form of behavior that opposes or defies the authority, justice, and dignity of the court. It manifests itself in willful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law, which is often behavior that is illegal because it does not obey or respect the rules of a law court.
There are broadly two categories of contempt: being rude or disrespectful to legal authorities in the courtroom, or wilfully failing to obey a court order. Contempt proceedings are especially used to enforce equitable remedies, such as injunctions.
When a court decides that an action constitutes contempt of court, it can issue a court order that in the context of a court trial or hearing declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority, called "found" or "held in contempt"; this is the judge's strongest power to impose sanctions for acts that disrupt the court's normal process.
A finding of being in contempt of court may result from a failure to obey a lawful order of a court, showing disrespect for the judge, disruption of the proceedings through poor behaviour, or publication of material or non-disclosure of material, which in doing so is deemed likely to jeopardize a fair trial. A judge may impose sanctions such as a fine or jail for someone found guilty of contempt of court. Judges in common law systems usually have more extensive power to declare someone in contempt than judges in civil law systems. The client or person must be proven to be guilty before he/she will be punished.
Usage examples of "contempt of court".
Any disclosure of matters that occurred before the grand jury constitutes a contempt of court.
There are severe penalties for contempt of court, he snapped, and even the journalists sat down again hurriedly and, chastened, applied themselves to their notepads.
In his pockets, police found gambling receipts from a Las Vegas casino, and when Costello declined to answer questions about them, or to name his would-be killer, he was jailed for contempt of court.
Lockwood's zeal as an advocate, there can be no question that, had Peace chosen or been in a position to take proceedings, more than one newspaper had at this time laid itself open to prosecution for contempt of Court.
If that is true, you have been guilty of a flagrant contempt of court and I intend to fine you and imprison you.
DA tells us that case is closed, and hands us court order to deliver all files to his office by 1400 hrs or face arrest for contempt of court.
The court now pronounces you in contempt of court, and assesses a fine of one hundred dollars for contempt of court.
District Attorney, that in the event the proof falls short of your statement, the Court will consider the making of such statement at this time as serious misconduct, perhaps amounting to a contempt of court.
You have to show respect in your manner, or else you may be considered to be in contempt of court.