§ 5A-22. Release when civil contempt no longer continues.
§5A‑22. Release when civil contempt no longer continues.
(a) A person imprisonedfor civil contempt must be released when his civil contempt no longercontinues. The order of the court holding a person in civil contempt mustspecify how the person may purge himself of the contempt. Upon findingcompliance with the specifications, the sheriff or other officer having custodymay release the person without a further order from the court.
(b) On motion of thecontemnor, the court must determine if he is subject to release and, on anaffirmative determination, order his release. The motion must be directed tothe judge who found civil contempt unless he is not available. Then the motionmust be made to a judge of the same division in the same district court districtas defined in G.S. 7A‑133 or superior court district or set of districtsas defined in G.S. 7A‑41.1, as the case may be. The contemnor may alsoseek his release under other procedures available under the law of this State. (1977,c. 711, s. 3; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 1037, s. 45.)