Stehle v. Zimmerebner (Majority, with Concurring and Dissenting)
Annotate this CaseKatie Stehle and Ernest Zimmerebner divorced in 2001. In 2014, the circuit court found that Stehle was in willful contempt for her failure to pay child support as ordered and granted judgment for an arrearage. Along with Stehle’s biweekly support obligation, the court ordered her to pay an additional sum to be applied toward the arrearage. In 2015, Zimmerebner filed a motion for contempt and body attachment, alleging that Stehle missed payments and remitted sums below the required amount. The circuit court subsequently increased Stehle’s child support obligation. The court subsequently found Stehle in contempt and required her to report to jail every weekend. The Supreme Court reversed, holding (1) the circuit court erred by holding Stehle in contempt without determining whether she had the ability to pay additional sums toward the arrearage; and (2) the circuit court’s order was too indefinite for Stehle to know how she might purge herself of the contempt. Remanded.
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