UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA v. BAGWELL

No. 92-1625.

512 U.S. 821 (1994)

INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA, et al. v. BAGWELL et al.

United States Supreme Court.

Decided June 30, 1994.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Laurence Gold argued the cause for petitioners. With him on the briefs were Robert H. Stropp, Jr., Walter Kamiat, Andrew P. Miller, Virginia A. Seitz, and David L. Shapiro.

John G. Roberts, Jr., argued the cause for respondents. With him on the briefs were William B. Poff, Clinton S. Morse, Frank K. Friedman, and David G. Leitch.

Deputy Solicitor General Bender argued the cause for the United States urging affirmance. With him on the brief were Solicitor General Days, Assistant Attorney General Hunger, Deputy Solicitor General Kneedler, and Miguel A. Estrada.*

Blackmun, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court with respect to Parts I, II—A, II—C, and III, and the opinion of the Court with respect to Part II—B, in which Stevens, O'Connor, Scalia, Kennedy, Souter, and Thomas, JJ., joined. Scalia, J., filed a concurring opinion, p. 839. Ginsburg, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment, in which Rehnquist, C. J., joined, p. 844.


Justice Blackmun, delivered the opinion of the Court.

We are called upon once again to consider the distinction between civil and criminal contempt. Specifically, we address whether contempt fines levied against a union for violations of a labor injunction are coercive civil fines, or are criminal fines that constitutionally could be imposed only through a jury trial. We conclude that the fines are criminal and, accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the Supreme...

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