LITTLE ROCK — Tommy Robinson does not have to serve a 60-day jail term for criminal contempt of court, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled Tuesday.
But the appeals judges held that the former congressman and his wife "acted knowingly and fraudulently in providing inaccurate information on their bankruptcy."
Robinson was sentenced to 60 days in jail for contempt of court last year by U.S. District Judge James Moody of the Eastern District of Arkansas. Judge James Mixon, U.S. bankruptcy judge in Robinson's Chapter 7 bankruptcy, referred the contempt decision to Moody in late 2007.
Robinson appealed Moody's decision, and the St. Louis court ruled in Robinson's favor.
In its decision, the St. Louis court said Robinson "was improperly held in criminal contempt of court" because Mixon's order was not specific enough to be enforced.
"I'm very pleased that they ruled against Mixon and that he couldn't put me in jail for filing lawsuits," said Robinson, who acted as his own attorney before the court of appeals.
The 8th Circuit Court upheld, however, Moody's other orders, including requiring Robinson to pay more than $125,000 in attorneys' fees and costs associated with the sale of a Monroe County hunting lodge.
Bill Thompson and Boyd Rothwell, creditors in Robinson's bankruptcy, were disappointed that the contempt-of-court decision was reversed, but they "were extremely gratified" that the other decisions were affirmed, Stuart Hankins, who represents Thompson and Rothwell, said in an e-mail.
Last year, Robinson and his attorney, former state Sen. Roy "Bill" Lewellen of Marianna, served one night in jail after Mixon found them guilty of civil contempt for suing Thompson and Rothwell in Monroe County Circuit Court.
Robinson said he wasn't worried about the court's decision requiring him to pay attorneys' fees. He still has options to file a civil lawsuit, and he also could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Robinson said.
Robinson and his wife, Carolyn, were forced into involuntary bankruptcy in 2005 by Thompson and Rothwell, former partners in the Monroe County hunting lodge now known as Mallard Pointe Lodge and Reserve.
Robinson, 66, was Pulaski County sheriff from 1981 to 1984 and represented central Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District from 1985 to 1991.
Business, Pages 25 on 08/26/2009