US v. Jaca

Summary

This landmark 1913 case established that public officials who arrest and detain court witnesses, even on technically legal grounds, commit contempt of court if done in bad faith to obstruct justice. Municipal Governor Enrique Jaca arrested witness Protasio Tramada for lacking a cedula when Tramada came to receive his subpoena, preventing his testimony in a case against Jaca's political ally. The Supreme Court affirmed Jaca's contempt conviction, ruling that procuring witness arrest to impede court proceedings violates the court's inherent power to compel witness attendance and control them until testimony is complete. The decision reinforces judicial authority to protect witnesses and ensure unobstructed administration of justice, while clarifying that witness immunity from arrest is limited but abuse of arrest powers to obstruct justice constitutes contempt.