People v. Bernard

Appellant Burton C. Bernard, an attorney, was held in contempt of court and fined *100 during an in-chambers conference in the midst of a jury trial of a products liability personal injury action in the Circuit Court of Madison County.1 The contempt finding was based on the supposed violation by Bernard, the attorney for the defendant in the personal injury case, of oral in limine orders entered prior to trial. On appeal, he contends that he did not violate the orders in question; that the orders lacked the requisite specificity and clarity for their violation to serve as the basis for contempt;…