Garcia v. Pinellas County

Appellants, Charles H. Martin, W.H. Martin, and their attorney, Martin L. Garcia, appeal their judgments and sentences for indirect criminal contempt for refusing to comply with a court order. They contend that there was insufficient evidence of intent to act contemptuously and that the trial judge should have disqualified himself from presiding at the contempt hearing pursuant to Rule 3.840(a)(5), Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. We agree with appellants’ first contention and reverse their convictions. Consequently, there is no need to address their second contention.

This emotionally…