civil contempt

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Definitions from WordNet

Noun civil contempt has 1 sense

civil contempt - a failure to follow a court order that benefits someone else
--₁ is a kind of contempt of court

Definitions from the Web

Civil Contempt:: A legal concept that involves the willful disobedience of a court order or a disrespectful behavior towards the court during the course of a civil proceeding.

Sample sentences:

He was held in civil contempt for refusing to comply with the court's order.
The judge warned the attorney that any further disrespectful remarks would result in a charge of civil contempt.
The plaintiff filed a motion seeking to hold the defendant in civil contempt for not paying the required damages.