Before a criminal contempt proceeding is heard before the court, notice of the proceedings shall be provided to the district attorney for the district of the court where the proceedings are to be heard and the district attorney for the district of the court where the alleged act of criminal contempt occurred. The district attorney for either district shall be allowed to appear and argue for the imposition of contempt sanctions.
Source: L. 94: Entire section added, p. 1717, § 7, effective July 1.
ANNOTATION
District attorney need not be notified of criminal contempt hearing against father in arrears in child support. While the general assembly may limit jurisdiction, no statute will be held to limit court power unless the limitation is explicit in the statute. There was no prejudice to the party's substantial rights as the statute was enacted to protect state's interest in prosecution, not for the protection of fathers in arrears in child support. In re Helmich, 937 P.2d 897 (Colo. App. 1997).
Prisoner incarcerated in county jail for punitive contempt is entitled to the benefit of earned good time credit. To the extent that the language of an order purports to limit "good time" credit, it is beyond the power of the court to do so. In re Helmich, 937 P.2d 897 (Colo. App. 1997).