Van Meter v. Hellwege

McGIVERIN, Justice.

Plaintiff Fay Monroe Van Meter challenges, by petition for writ of certiorari, defendant district court’s finding of contempt of court and imposition of a six month jail sentence for the contempt. We conclude that, although the court was exercising a judicial function, the contempt finding and the imposition of the sentence were erroneous acts, and so we sustain the writ and remand for a new hearing on the issue of whether Van Meter was in contempt.

On February 15, 1979, Van Meter was permanently enjoined by the Iowa district court in Lee County from bringing any new legal…