1. A court of record of this state may impose a remedial or punitive sanction for contempt of court under this chapter. 2. Upon the trial of an action or issue by a referee appointed by the court, the commission of any offense that constitutes contempt of court must be deemed contempt of the court appointing the referee, and the offense may be punished by the court in the manner and upon the proceedings in this chapter provided, except that the offense may be presented to the court by a report of the referee instead of by affidavit.
27-10-01.3. Nonsummary procedure for remedial and punitive sanctions - Joint hearing and trial - Summary procedure - Appeal. 1. a. The court on its own motion or motion of a person aggrieved by contempt of court may seek imposition of a remedial sanction for the contempt by filing a motion for that purpose in the proceeding to which the contempt is related. The court, after notice and hearing, may impose a remedial sanction authorized by this chapter. In a proceeding to impose a remedial sanction for failure to pay child or spousal support, an order to pay support is prima facie evidence the obligor has the ability to pay, and the burden of persuasion is upon the obligor to prove inability to pay the support ordered.
b. The state's attorney of a county, the attorney general, or a special prosecutor appointed by the court may seek the imposition of a punitive sanction by issuing a complaint charging a person with contempt of court and reciting the sanction sought to be imposed. The state's attorney, attorney general, or special prosecutor may initiate issuance of the complaint or may issue the complaint on the request of a party to an action or proceeding in a court or of the judge presiding in an action or proceeding. A judge is disqualified from presiding at the trial of an alleged contemnor if a reasonable likelihood or appearance of bias or prejudice will otherwise exist, if the contempt alleged involves disrespect or criticism of the judge, or if the judge has personal knowledge of disputed evidentiary facts. The person charged is entitled to a trial by jury. c. The court may hold a hearing on a motion for a remedial sanction jointly with a trial on a complaint seeking a punitive sanction. 2. The judge presiding in an action or proceeding may impose a punitive sanction upon a person who commits contempt of court in the actual presence of the court. The judge shall impose the punitive sanction immediately after the contempt of court and only for the purpose of preserving order in the court and protecting the authority and dignity of the court. 3. An appeal may be taken to the supreme court from any order or judgment finding a person guilty of contempt. An order or judgment finding a person guilty of contempt is a final order or judgment for purposes of appeal.
27-10-01.4. Remedial sanctions - Punitive sanctions for nonsummary and summary procedure - Past conduct. 1. A court may impose one or more of the following remedial sanctions: a. Payment of a sum of money sufficient to compensate a party or complainant, other than the court, for a loss or injury suffered as a result of the contempt, including an amount to reimburse the party for costs and expenses incurred as a result of the contempt; b. Imprisonment if the contempt of court is of a type included in subdivision b, c, d, e, or f of subsection 1 of section 27-10-01.1. The imprisonment may extend for as long as the contemnor continues the contempt or six months, whichever is shorter; c. A forfeiture not to exceed two thousand dollars for each day the contempt continues; d. An order designed to ensure compliance with a previous order of the court; or e. A sanction other than the sanctions specified in subdivisions a through d if the court expressly finds that those sanctions would be ineffectual to terminate a continuing contempt. 2. a. A court, after a finding of contempt of court in a nonsummary procedure under subdivision b of subsection 1 of section 27-10-01.3, may impose for each separate contempt of court a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year, or both. b. A court, after a finding of contempt of court in the summary procedure under subsection 2 of section 27-10-01.3, may impose for each separate contempt of court a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, imprisonment in the county jail for not more than thirty days, or both. 3. A punitive sanction may be imposed for past conduct that was a contempt of court even though similar present conduct is a continuing contempt of court.