Contempt of Court — Escambia County Jail View Guide
CONTEMPT OF COURT on Escambia County Jail View (code 900.04, usually N N) means a judge found — or is being asked to find — that the person disobeyed a court order. It’s often NO BOND. In civil contempt, common in child support cases, the order usually sets a purge amount: paying it gets the person released. Criminal contempt is punishment for past disobedience and is handled like a criminal case.
On this page
How it looks on Jail View
[+] 900.04 · 260000CIR (ESCAMBIA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE) · CONTEMPT OF COURT · N · N · NO BOND
The case number is usually the existing court case where the order was violated. “CIR” typically points to a circuit court matter, such as family or felony court. Decode case numbers
Civil contempt vs. criminal contempt
| Civil contempt | Criminal contempt | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Make the person comply (for example, pay child support or produce documents) | Punish past disobedience or disrespect to the court |
| Common source | Family court: child support and alimony writs of bodily attachment | Violating a no-contact or injunction order; misconduct in court |
| How release happens | Paying the purge amount set by the judge, or complying | Serving the sentence, or bond if one is set while the charge is pending |
| Jail View bond | Often NO BOND. The purge isn’t shown as a bond. | NO BOND or a bond set by the judge |
Child support: “writ of bodily attachment”
If someone misses a child support contempt hearing or doesn’t pay as ordered, the family court judge can issue a writ of bodily attachment. After arrest, the person is typically held until they:
- pay the purge amount written on the writ or order, usually at the Clerk or as the order directs, or
- are brought before the judge, who may change the purge or set a new payment plan.
Families should read the writ or ask the jail and the Clerk exactly how and where the purge must be paid. It isn’t posted like a normal bail bond through a bondsman.
Criminal contempt
Criminal contempt is prosecuted under the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure. Direct contempt (in front of the judge) can be handled right away. Indirect contempt (outside court, like violating an injunction) requires notice and a hearing. Penalties are set by the judge. Without a jury trial, jail terms are limited. A lawyer can explain the specific exposure.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bond out on contempt of court in Florida?
It depends on the type. For civil contempt, such as unpaid child support, release usually comes from paying the purge amount the judge set or complying with the order, not from a bail bond. For criminal contempt, a judge may set a bond while the matter is pending.
What is a purge amount?
A purge amount is the sum a judge says a person held in civil contempt must pay — or the action they must take — to be released. Once it’s paid or done, the person has purged the contempt. It’s common in child support writs and isn’t posted through a bail bondsman.
General information, not legal advice.
Sources: Escambia County Jail View · Escambia County Clerk · Florida Courts