Sternberg
Sternberg v. Johnston
Opinion
Opinion
I. Background
Logan Johnston and Paula Parker were divorced in 1996. As part of the property settlement, Johnston was ordered to pay spousal maintenance.
In January 2001, Parker, through her attorney, Melvin Sternberg, asked the state court to hold Johnston in contempt for non-payment of spousal support. Among other things, the request asked the court to “award Judgment . . . for all sums of spousal maintenance[;] . . . enter an Order that [Johnston] be incarcerated; that his professional law license be sus- pended; and his drivers’ license be revoked . . . until he . . . immediately pay[s] ALL sums[;]” and place a lien “upon any vehicle or other property owned.”
On May 14 of that year, Johnston filed a Chapter 11 bank- ruptcy petition. His bankruptcy counsel did not file notice of this petition in the state court proceeding until May 17, how- ever.
On that same day, May 17, the state court conducted what appears to have been a previously scheduled evidentiary hear- ing on Parker’s contempt request. Johnston, who is an attor- ney, represented himself. Approximately 15 minutes into the 2150 STERNBERG v. JOHNSTON hearing, he advised the court for the first time…