Criminal contempt of court; Jurisdiction; Motion to show cause; MCL 764.15b(7); MCR 3.708(G); In re LT

Holding that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate this case, the court reversed and remanded. Respondent-ex-husband was found guilty of criminal contempt of court for violating a domestic PPO. His sentence included a fine, which the trial court would waive if he completed a deposition in his divorce case. On appeal, the court found the trial court lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate petitioner-ex-wife’s motion to show cause. “[P]etitioner appeared in propria persona and no prosecutor appeared. Therefore, the trial court lacked authority to proceed with [her] motion to show cause and it should have dismissed the motion on this basis. Because the trial court proceeded without jurisdictional authority, its finding of guilt against respondent is void.”