The Power Clash: Courts vs. Trump’s Executive Defiance

Court orders are piling up against President Donald Trump and his Executive Orders and the administration seems to be setting a course of not following them. What happens next? Judges don’t like people not following their orders and there are many options available to judges if they feel a party is flaunting non-compliance. If a judge feels her/his order is legitimately confusing or vague, the judge may alter the original order to clarify it for the parties or the judge may also impose a stricter order than the first. However, if the original order is clear, then the judge has the option of finding the non-complying parties in either civil or criminal contempt. If a party is found in civil contempt after a hearing, the party may be fined and put in jail until compliance with the order. This would not apply to Trump given his immune status issued by the United States Supreme Court, but it may apply to the Attorney General or other agency heads embroiled in the non-compliance. Civil contempt is handled through the court. Criminal contempt is initiated by a prosecutor. In Trump’s cases, the Department of Justice (DOJ) would not bring criminal charges against itself or one of Trump’s cabinet members. Instead, the judge would need to have a special counsel investigate and perhaps prosecute the case. This is unlikely. If someone is found in federal criminal contempt, that person is eligible for a presidential pardon. However, that is not the case with civil contempt. However, the enforcement relies on the U. S. Marshal’s office which is under the control of the DOJ. The judge also has the option of sanctioning the attorneys for the non-complying party and bringing disciplinary action against them putting their law licenses in peril. Finally, a non-complying party may be subject to a criminal charge of obstruction of justice. This episode of “Next Witness…Please” dives deeply into a judge’s options if someone does not comply with a court order.