2025 Session Last amended: 1986 session

§ 588.11 — Indemnity to Injured Party

Plain-Language Summary

If someone's contempt of court causes actual harm to another party in a case, the court can order the person found in contempt to pay money to cover the other party's losses. This includes costs and reasonable attorney's fees. Accepting this payment prevents the harmed party from filing a separate lawsuit for the same harm.

588.11 INDEMNITY TO INJURED PARTY.

If any actual loss or injury to a party in an action or special proceeding, prejudicial to the person’s right therein, is caused by such contempt, the court or officer, in addition to the fine or imprisonment imposed therefor, may order the person guilty of the contempt to pay the party aggrieved a sum of money sufficient to indemnify the party and satisfy the party’s costs and expenses, including a reasonable attorney’s fee incurred in the prosecution of such contempt, which order, and the acceptance of money thereunder, shall be a bar to an action for such loss and injury.

History:

(9803) RL s 4649; 1945 c 434 s 2; 1986 c 444

History: History: (9803) RL s 4649; 1945 c 434 s 2; 1986 c 444

Practical Notes

This gives courts the power to compensate victims of contempt beyond just fines and jail time. If you are harmed by someone’s contempt, you can recover your losses, costs, and attorney’s fees through the contempt proceeding itself, but accepting the payment bars you from suing separately for the same injury.

Source: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes