State v. Sluyter

TERNUS, Chief Justice.

In this original certiorari proceeding, 1 the plaintiff, Michael Sluyter, challenges the district court’s use of contempt procedures to collect a cost judgment entered against him after he was acquitted of crimes at trial. Sluyter claims this judgment, representing the attorney fees for his court-appointed counsel and associated costs of his defense, is a civil liability that must be enforced through civil debt-collection procedures. He also claims the court’s use of contempt powers to enforce this judgment is illegal and violates the constitutional prohibition of…