261 Conn. 189 | Conn. | 2002
Opinion
The petitioner, the commissioner of children and families (commissioner), appeals, upon the granting of certification, from the judgment of the Appellate Court reversing the trial court’s orders holding John C., the respondent father,
The record reveals the following relevant facts and procedural history. The commissioner filed an amended petition to adjudicate the respondents’ minor child, Jeffrey C., uncared for. On February 9, 1999, after the respondents had entered pleas of nolo contendere to the allegations in the amended petition, the court issued an order directing that Jeffrey C. be placed in protective supervision for one year subject to the respondents’ compliance with certain specific steps prescribed by the trial court. These steps required, inter alia, that the
On August 18,1999, the commissioner moved to open and modify the court’s February 9, 1999 order. The commissioner sought commitment of Jeffrey C. owing to the respondents’ failure to comply with the court-ordered specific steps. At the conclusion of the hearing on the commissioner’s motion, the trial court concluded that the respondent father had failed to comply with certain of the court-ordered steps. The court specifically found that the respondent father had not attended family counseling sessions, had failed to participate in substance abuse assessment and treatment and had engaged in criminal activities, namely, assault and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Notwithstanding the foregoing findings, the trial court, on January 31,2000, declined the commissioner’s request for commitment and issued an order extending the term of protective supervision for an additional six months and issued supplemental orders, in which the trial court directed the respondents to comply with the specific steps or face the possibility of being held in contempt and, consequently, the possibility of incarceration or other sanctions.
The respondent father appealed to the Appellate Court, challenging the trial court’s authority to hold him in civil contempt, its award of attorney’s fees and its issuance of a temporary restraining order limiting his contact with Jeffrey C., among other family members. In re Jeffrey C., 64 Conn. App. 55, 57, 779 A.2d
I
The commissioner claims on appeal that the Appellate Court improperly concluded that both the February 9, 1999 order and the January 31, 2000 supplemental orders were not court orders with which a failure to comply could result in a finding of contempt. We agree with the commissioner that the January 31,2000 supplemental orders were properly enforceable by a finding of civil contempt pursuant to § 46b-121 (b) and, accordingly, we need not reach the merits of the commissioner’s claim concerning the enforceability of the February 9, 1999 court order.
In reviewing the trial court’s finding of contempt, we are guided by standards that limit our review. “[0]ur
“Although . . . plenary review of civil contempt orders extends to some issues that are not truly jurisdictional, its emphasis on fundamental rights underscores the proposition that the grounds for any appeal from a contempt order are more restricted than would be the case in an ordinary plenary appeal from a civil judgment.” (Citations omitted; internal quotation marks omitted.) Eldridge v. Eldridge, 244 Conn. 523, 527-28, 710 A.2d 757 (1998).
General Statutes (Rev. to 1999) § 46b-121 (b) provides in relevant part: “In juvenile matters, the Superior Court shall have authority to make and enforce such orders directed to parents, including any person who acknowledges before said court paternity of a child bom out of wedlock, guardians, custodians or other adult persons owing some legal duty to a child or youth therein, as it deems necessary or appropriate to secure the welfare, protection, proper care and suitable support of a child
“Contempt is a disobedience to the rules and orders of a court which has power to punish for such an offense.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) Wilson v. Cohen, 222 Conn. 591, 596 n.5, 610 A.2d 1117 (1992). Pursuant to § 46b-121 (b), the trial court has authority to find in contempt those individuals who fail to comply with orders issued in connection with juvenile matters. Although the Appellate Court acknowledged the trial court’s authority “to find in contempt those persons who violate orders pertaining to juvenile matters”; In re Jeffrey C, supra, 64 Conn. App. 61; it nevertheless focused on the February 9,1999 court-ordered specific steps, rather than the January 31, 2000 supplemental orders, in holding that “the specific steps prescribed by the court, pursuant to [General Statutes] § 46b-129 (b), may not be inteipreted as orders unto themselves from which the court may issue a contempt order.” Id., 63. In other words, the Appellate Court focused solely on whether the court-ordered specific steps themselves, rather than the January 31, 2000 supplemental orders in which the trial court directed the respondents to comply with those steps or face the possibility of being held in contempt, may be interpreted as court orders. Because we conclude that the January 31, 2000 supple
II
As an alternate ground for affirming the judgment of the Appellate Court,
“Our case law classifies civil contempt as conduct directed against the rights of the opposing party . . . while criminal contempt consists of conduct that is directed against the dignity and authority of the court.” (Citations omitted.) Ullmann v. State, 230 Conn. 698, 707, 647 A.2d 324 (1994). “[I]t is the nature of the relief itself that is instructive in determining whether a contempt is civil or criminal. A contempt fine is civil if it either coerce [s] the defendant into compliance with the court’s order, [or] . . . compensate [s] the complainant
Thus, although it is true that, in civil contempt proceedings, the contemnor must be afforded the opportunity to purge himself of the contempt, this is only a consideration when punishment, such as imprisonment or a noncompensatory fíne, has been imposed in accordance with the finding of contempt. See Eldridge v. Eldridge, supra, 244 Conn. 533; cf. Ullmann v. State, supra, 230 Conn. 710. In the present case, the trial court did not impose a noncompensatory fine or other punishment. Rather, the trial court ordered that the respondent father pay attorney’s fees pursuant to § 52-256b to compensate the commissioner for expenses incurred in enforcing compliance with the orders of the trial court. See Eldridge v. Eldridge, supra, 533. Thus, the fact that the respondent father was not offered the opportunity to purge himself of his contemptuous behavior does not, under the circumstances of this case, in any way undermine the trial court’s finding of contempt.
The judgment of the Appellate Court is reversed and the case is remanded to that court with direction to affirm the trial court’s orders holding the respondent father in contempt and awarding attorney’s fees.
In this opinion the other justices concurred.
The commissioner named Dawn C., the minor child’s mother, and John C., the minor child’s father, as respondents in her petition. We hereinafter refer to Dawn C. and John C. collectively as the respondents and John C. as the respondent father.
The trial court issued the following written supplemental orders on January 31, 2000:
“I.) The Specific Steps approved by the Court on February 9, 1999, will continue in effect through the extended period of Protective Supervision unless the parties shall submit to this court on or before February 13, 2000, agreed upon or proposed Revised Specific Steps.
“2.) In the event that the respondents fail to comply with any one or more of the enumerated Specific Steps or with any Supplemental Order set forth herein, then the [commissioner] may move for an immediate Show Cause hearing in this court as to why the respondents should not be held in contempt for their failure to comply with said Specific Steps and/or Orders.
“3.) Upon such a hearing, the respondents shall risk incarceration or other
“4.) In addition, this Court may refer the matter to the Office of the State’s Attorney for Nonsummary Criminal Contempt proceedings pursuant to [Practice Book § 1-18].
“5.) The respondents are further ordered to submit to a hair test within two weeks from the date hereof, said arrangements to be handled by [the department of children and families].
“6.) This court shall retain jurisdiction of the matter during the entire extended period of Protective Supervision.”
General Statutes § 52-256b provides in relevant part: “(a) When any person is found in contempt of any order or judgment of the Superior Court, the court may award to the petitioner a reasonable attorney’s fee and the fees of the officer serving the contempt citation, such sums to be paid by the person found in contempt. . .
We certified the following issue for appeal: “Are ‘specific steps’ ordered by a court, following a hearing at which the parent is present and represented by counsel, court orders from which a finding of contempt may issue?” In re Jeffrey C., 258 Conn. 924, 783 A.2d 1027 (2001). In view of our conclusion that the trial court had authority to issue a contempt order on the basis of the respondent father’s failure to comply with the court’s January 31, 2000 supplemental orders, we need not answer the certified question in the broad terms in which it was framed. Cf., e.g., Stamford Hospital v. Vega, 236 Conn. 646, 648 n. 1, 674 A.2d 821 (1996) (this court may rephrase certified questions in order to render them more accurate in framing issues presented).
The respondent father also raises certain constitutional claims as an alternate basis for affirming the judgment of the Appellate Court. We decline to review these claims, however. “Where an issue is merely mentioned, but not briefed beyond a bare assertion of the claim, it is deemed to have been waived.” Bridgeport Hospital v. Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities, 232 Conn. 91, 115, 653 A.2d 782 (1995). “[C]laims on appeal that are inadequately briefed are deemed abandoned.” (Internal quotation marks omitted.) State v. Salvatore, 57 Conn. App. 396, 401, 749 A.2d 71, cert. denied, 253 Conn. 921, 755 A.2d 216 (2000).