Harriette Williams Downey, Mark A. Vander Laan, Attorney-Appellant/cross-Appellee v. Michael A. Clauder, Defendant-Appellee/cross-Appellant

BOYCE F. MARTIN, JR., Circuit Judge.

Attorney Mark Vander Laan maintains that the district court erred in holding him in contempt of court for failing to timely withdraw a copy of a civil complaint forwarded to the Cincinnati Bar Association. Michael A. Clauder cross appeals, contending that the court erroneously converted his motion for sanctions into a contempt proceeding. For the following reasons, we reverse the judgment of the district court.

The facts underlying this matter are largely undisputed. Harriette Williams Downey is the widow of James R. Williams, former head of The Western and…