Art. 226 Same; imprisonment until performance

If a judge finds someone in contempt of court because they refused or failed to do something they were ordered to do, and that person still has the ability to do it, the judge can have them jailed until they actually do it. This is meant to push the person to take the action, not just to punish them for what already happened.

The key point is that the person holds the key to their own release. As soon as they perform the act the court ordered, whether that's handing over documents, answering questions, paying something they owe, or completing some other required task, they can get out of jail. The court's written order has to clearly state that jail time will last until the person complies.

This approach is different from punishment for past bad behavior. It's meant to force compliance going forward, so the rule only applies when the person is still able to do what's required. If it becomes impossible for them to complete the act, this type of imprisonment would no longer make sense.