Rudy Giuliani Faces Dual Contempt Rulings Ahead Of Trial On Florida Homestead

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor and attorney for Donald Trump, has continued to compound his legal problems relating to the false claims he has made against Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.

In the same week, Giuliani was held in contempt of court by two different federal courts.

As reported in a recent blog titled, Catching Up with the Rudy Giuliani Receivership, a continued contempt hearing was held on January 6, 2025 in the receivership proceeding pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern district of New York. Following Giuliani’s continued remote testimony, the Court found Giuliani in contempt for his failures to comply with court orders to turn over information about his assets to Freeman and Moss. The Court entered the following minute entry concerning the January 6, 2025 proceedings:

Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Lewis J. Liman: Contempt Hearing held on 1/6/2025 in re: homestead discovery (24cv6563). Aaron Nathan, Michael Gottlieb, Meryl Governski, and Rachel Goodman present for Plaintiffs. Joseph Cammarata present for Defendant. Defendant, Rudolph Giuliani present remotely via Microsoft Teams Video Conference. Court reporter present. Defendant’s first witness’s re-direct testimony continued and concluded. First witness’s testimony is heard and entered through examination by both parties and the witness was excused. In regard to the contempt motion on the homestead action, the record is closed. The Court heard argument from both parties. The Court issued its ruling and found defendant Mr. Giuliani in contempt for the reasons as stated on the record. The Court imposed Rule 37 sanctions on defendant with respect to violations of the Court’s order pertaining to interrogatories 4 and 8. See Transcript. (mf)

Giuliani, a prominent New Yorker, was scheduled to begin a trial concerning his assertion of a homestead exemption protecting his Florida condo on Thursday. All of his efforts to delay that trial have been denied by Judge Liman.

The second contempt ruling came from a federal judge in Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell found Giuliani in contempt for continuing to spread false claims about Freeman and Moss after a $148 million judgment was entered against him in 2023. Notwithstanding the entry of the judgment and the efforts by Freeman and Moss to collect the judgment, Giuliani has persisted in repeating election lies in his broadcasts. The continuing defamation resulted in Judge Howell holding Giuliani in contempt on January 10, 2025. While the Court refrained from immediately fining him as a sanction, Giuliani was ordered to review trial testimony and other case-related material and certify within 10 days, i.e. prior to the inauguration, that he had done so. If he fails to comply, Giuliani may be fined $200 per daily and risks sanctions escalating to imprisonment.

David’s Dicta: Dunn Law, P.A. is local counsel to Freeman and Moss and domesticated their judgment against Giuliani in Florida to create a lien against his Florida condominium.