Bootney Lee Farnsworth
Diamond Member
I just researched it. The Executive can pardon a charge or conviction of criminal contempt (which, if it is contempt against Joe, it would be criminal), but not civil contempt. Criminal contempt is where the Court finds that actions were contemptuous, and the Court issues a sentence as punishment for the contempt. Once that sentence is ordered, the Executive has the power to pardon it. Civil contempt is where a parson refuses to obey a Court order and the Court has the bailiff take the person into custody and hold them until they comply. The Executive cannot pardon civil contempt and prevent a Court (or Congress) from enforcing its orders.The president can't pardon a judicial action.