A Washington Order To Set Show Cause Hearing — Contempt is a mechanism used by courts in the state of Washington to hold a person in contempt of court. It is a court order requiring the accused to appear in court to explain why they should not be found in contempt. The order typically sets a date and time for the hearing, and provides notice to the accused of the charges and potential penalties. There are two types of Washington Order To Set Show Cause Hearing — Contempt: criminal contempt and civil contempt. Criminal contempt involves disobedience of a court order and is punishable by fines or jail time. Civil contempt involves failure to comply with a court order and is punishable by fines or other sanctions.