12/23/96 Stevan L. Black V. James E. Blount

In this criminal contempt action, Stevan L. Black, appointed by the trial court as amicus curiae, appeals from the Court of Appeals' decision that the evidence is insufficient as a matter of law to support the trial court's judgment finding the appellee, James E. Blount, III, guilty of two counts of criminal contempt, and ordering him to pay as costs $5,000 in attorney's fees to Black. After carefully considering the record in this case, we conclude that the Court of Appeals erred, both in finding the evidence insufficient to support the contempt convictions and also in concluding that the trial Judge lacked authority to order payment of attorney's fees. Accordingly, we reverse the judgment of the Court of Appeals, reinstate the criminal contempt convictions, and remand to the trial court for calculation of reasonable attorney's fees.