contempt of court

Cultural

The deliberate obstruction of a court's proceedings by refusing to obey a court order or by interfering with court procedures. Contempt of court can be punished by fine, imprisonment, or both.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But Northamptonshire Police repeatedly refused to hand it over, prompting her to take legal action against the county's chief constable, Ivan Balhatchet, for contempt of court.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

The Chief Constable of Northamptonshire, Ivan Balhatchet, was found guilty of contempt of court in November and fined £50,000 for failing to release the body-worn videos to her.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Balhatchet admitted contempt of court and apologised in person to the Court of Appeal for the "appalling failures" of his force, which Lord Justice Fraser described as "wilfully disobedient".

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

She will soon consider if the company should be found in contempt of court.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

The judge declared Russo in contempt of court and sent him to jail.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023