A federal judge pauses the $800-per-day contempt fines imposed on journalist Catherine Herridge as she pursues further appellate review, according to multiple reports. The decision addresses Herridge’s refusal to identify confidential sources connected to her 2017 Fox News reporting. Her refusal led to a finding of civil contempt and the imposition of daily fines by a federal judge, reported as $800 per day.
After the initial order, a federal judge later clarifies and reverses course on the fine, stating that Herridge does not have to pay the daily contempt amount while her case proceeds toward higher review, including a potential Supreme Court appeal. Coverage describes the judge’s intervention by referencing Christopher Cooper, who had imposed the contempt fine earlier, and emphasizes that the clarification specifically concerns the payment of the fines during the pendency of the appeal.
The reports present the latest procedural development as a step that preserves Herridge’s ability to continue challenging the compelled disclosure order without the added financial penalty accruing at the stated rate.
