In re the Interest of Mowery

¶1 A juvenile court resorted to its inherent authority to punish a disobedient juvenile for contempt. At *268his father’s request, the court sentenced the juvenile unconditionally to 30 days in detention, a criminal sanction. It is well established that a criminal contempt sanction should not be imposed unless it is sought by a disinterested public prosecutor in an action separate from the underlying civil dispute. Washington’s criminal contempt statute incorporates these principles of procedural fairness. Because the court did not refer the matter for a statutory prosecution or explain why the…