United States v. Walter L. Ritte, Jr.

Ritte attempts to appeal from an order of a magistrate for the District of Hawaii finding Ritte in contempt and ordering forfeiture of his appearance bond for breach of a bail condition. That portion of the order adjudicating Ritte in contempt is invalid because the magistrate did not have jurisdiction. We must vacate the contempt order because 28 U.S.C. § 636(d) requires that contemptuous acts committed in the presence of a magistrate or related to proceedings before a magistrate must be referred to a district judge for adjudication. We cannot reach the merits of the order of forfeiture…