Cammer v. United States

18 U. S. C. § 401 (2) empowers a court of the United States to punish as contempt “Misbehavior of any of its *400officers in their official transactions . ...” 1 Petitioner, a lawyer, sent a questionnaire to a District of Columbia grand jury. For this, the District Court found petitioner guilty of contempt and fined him $100. 122 F. Supp. 388. In so doing the court held that within the meaning of the statute petitioner was one “of its officers” and that sending the questionnaire was “misbehavior” in an “official transaction.” The Court of Appeals affirmed, Circuit Judge Fahy dissenting. 96 U. S.…