Civil Contempt abuse

Prof. Jonathan Turley reports today in his blog that civil contempt is one of the most abused areas by prosecutors and courts. He discusses the case of a former Philadelphia-area lawyer, who has been behind bars for nearly 14 years without being charged. This is longer than the sentence he would receive if he had been charged for his conduct as a criminal matter. Turley argues it raises compelling claims under due process and cruel and unusual punishment in my view. Click here for Prof. Turley's comment. Click here for an article on the Wall Street Journal on the subject.