Courtney v. Commonwealth

BENTON, Judge.

The trial judge found Deborah Hinton Courtney guilty of criminal contempt of court. Courtney contends that (1) the prosecution was barred by the Double Jeopardy Clause, (2) the trial judge erred by refusing to allow Courtney’s counsel to withdraw, (3) the trial judge erred by refusing Courtney’s request for a jury trial, and (4) the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction. We hold that the prosecution violated the Double Jeopardy Clause of the United States Constitution, and we reverse the conviction.

I

The evidence proved that on December 5, 1994, the trial judge…