Show cause order

A court order that requires one or more of the parties to a case to justify, explain or prove something to the court. Court’s commonly use orders to show cause when the judge needs more information before deciding whether or not to issue an order requested by one of the parties.

For example, if a party requests that the court find another party in contempt of court of an existing order, the judge will typically issue an ‘Order to Show Cause Re Contempt’ to the party accused of being in contempt of court. At the hearing of the order to show cause concerning contempt the judge will take evidence from both sides concerning the alleged failure to comply with the court order before making a decision on the merits of the issue.