McCann

Appellant, Deputy Public Defender Douglas McCann, was adjudged guilty of multiple acts of contempt in a criminal trial in Los Angeles Municipal Court. He was fined a total of $1,000, on November 16, 1988. He filed a petition for writ of certiorari in the superior court, and the judgment of contempt was affirmed except as to acts for which imposition of an additional fine had been suspended. His notice of appeal from the judgment of the superior court was filed July 18, 1989.

In this appeal, the contemnor faults the order of contempt because (1) he was merely aggressively arguing the issues, (2) trying to persuade the court to change its ruling does not impugn the integrity of the court, (3) he was never warned about his manner, (4) having a discussion with the court cannot amount to contempt for interrupting the court, (5) the written order increased the sentence previously imposed and resurrected grounds for the contempt, (6) he was entitled to a continuance to prepare a defense, (7) the court had already found him in contempt before the hearing, (8) the court’s admission that the issue of contempt was in a “grey area” precluded a finding of contempt beyond a reasonable…