District of Columbia Civil Contempt Imprisonment Limitation Act of 1989
Public Law 101-97 · H.R. 2136 · 101st Congress · began in the House
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Sep 23, 1989 · Law
Sponsor: Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA-10)
Cosponsors (25): Rep. Stanford Parris, Rep. Walter Fauntroy,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
District of Columbia Civil Contempt Imprisonment Limitation Act of 1989 - Amends the District of Columbia Code to limit the term of incarceration for civil contempt in child custody cases to 12 months, except in cases where a person incarcerated for civil contempt is charged with criminal contempt for failure to comply with a court order. Provides that an individual may be charged for criminal contempt no earlier than six months and no later than 12 months after incarceration for civil contempt in a child custody case, and be imprisoned until the completion of the trial for criminal contempt, but in no case for more than 18 months. Requires that such criminal contempt trial: (1) begin within 90 days after the individual is charged with criminal contempt; (2) be a trial by jury upon such individual's request; and (3) not be conducted before the judge who incarcerated such individual for contempt.
Requires the District of Columbia Court of Appeals to hear an appeal from an order of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia holding an individual in contempt and imposing imprisonment on such individual in the course of a child custody case within 60 days after such individual requests such appeal.
Directs the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on the District of Columbia to study civil contempt law and procedures in District of Columbia courts and the Senate Committee on the Judiciary to study civil contempt laws and procedures in Federal courts. Requires reports on such studies by September 1, 1990.
Makes this Act applicable to persons imprisoned during the 18-month period beginning on the date of this Act's enactment.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
District of Columbia Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Judiciary and Education Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 27 actions.
- Sep 23, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-97.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Sep 22, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments to Senate amendment by Voice Vote.
- Sep 20, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree with amendments to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Dymally asked unanimous consent that the House agree with amendments to the Senate amendment.
- Sep 12, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate appointed conferees Glenn; Levin; Sasser; Stevens; Wilson.
- Sep 7, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insisted on its amendments, requested a conference.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate in lieu of S. 1163 with an amendment by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jul 11, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
- Jun 28, 1989FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 376 - 34 (Roll no. 113).House roll call 113
- Jun 27, 1989FloorFloor · VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE POSTPONED - The Speaker put the question on final passage of the bill and the yeas and nays were ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule I, the Speaker postponed further proceedings on the bill until tomorrow, June 28, 1989.
- FloorFloor · The previous question was ordered without objection on the bill and on the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute.
- FloorFloor · CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION - Mr. Fauntroy asked unanimous consent that the bill and the amendment in the nature of a substitute as reported by the Committee on the District of Columbia be considered as having been read and printed in the Congressional Record and that the legis…
- FloorFloor · Considered as District of Columbia business, pursuant to the special order agreed to on June 23, 1989.
- Jun 21, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House District of Columbia Committee
- Jun 20, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House District of Columbia Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Judiciary and Education Subcommittee of the House District of Columbia Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Judiciary and Education Subcommittee of the House District of Columbia Committee
- May 23, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Judiciary and Education Subcommittee of the House District of Columbia Committee
- May 1, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Judiciary and Education Subcommittee of the House District of Columbia Committee
- Apr 26, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House District of Columbia Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.