The court had to decide whether respondent lawyer Douglas Rankin is guilty of criminal contempt of court under Judiciary Law §750(A)(3) for disobeying its order to appear for a continued suppression hearing.

Rankin argued the order was unlawful and his failure to appear was not willful as the adjourn date for the continued hearing conflicted with a sentencing hearing and a pretrial suppression hearing scheduled to start the same day for two jailed clients.