United States v. United Mine Workers

In United States v. United Mine Workers, 330 U.S. at 303-304, 67 S. Ct. at 702, 91 L. Ed. at 918-919, the Supreme Court of the United States established a more specific standard: "In imposing a fine for criminal contempt, the trial judge may properly take into consideration the extent of the willful and deliberate defiance of the court's order, the seriousness of the consequences of the contumacious behavior, the necessity of effectively terminating the defendant's defiance as required by the public interest, and the importance of deterring such acts in the future. Because of the nature of these standards, great reliance must be placed upon the discretion of the trial judge." In imposing a fine for civil contempt, where the purpose is to effect compliance, the court should "consider the character and magnitude of the harm threatened by continued contumacy, and the probable effectiveness of any suggested sanction in bringing about the result desired."