§ 135.290 Punishment by contempt of court

If someone is released from jail while their case is pending, they usually have to follow certain rules or conditions. This rule explains what happens when those rules get broken.

If a person is supervising the defendant during this release period, that supervisor can be held in contempt of court if they knowingly help the defendant break the release conditions, or if they know about a violation and don't report it.

The defendant can also be held in contempt if they knowingly break the rules of their release agreement. This includes ignoring conditions that were set when they were released, or violating a specific court order tied to their case. In both situations, the key word is "knowingly." The person has to be aware they were breaking a rule or helping someone else break it. Being punished by contempt can mean fines, extra jail time, or other penalties decided by the judge.