Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson yesterday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of talk show host Christina "Chrissy Love" Thompson.
However, the warrant is suspended until Wednesday, September 20.
Thompson has until 9:30 a.m. on September 20 to appear before Grant-Thompson.
Thompson was supposed to appear before Grant-Thompson yesterday to answer to charges of contempt of court.
Thompson's attorney, Murrio Ducille, told the court that she was absent because she had "a prearranged engagement where she had to take her son to school".
Grant-Thompson asked Ducille if Thompson was "no longer in the jurisdiction".
"No," he said, before asking for an adjournment to September 20 "so that it will afford her an opportunity to appear before the court".
Ducille also said that it was his understanding that Thompson was not aware of a summons demanding she appear in court yesterday because it was issued after she left the jurisdiction.
Attorney Wayne Munroe joined the matter because his client, former Progressive Liberal Party (PLP)
Cabinet Minister Shane Gibson, was referred to in the alleged libel.
Grant-Thompson asked Munroe, "What is your view that Mr. Ducille's client was told to be to court today and is not here?"
Munroe said it would have been "more helpful if the trip was a medical trip".
"I know all of us here have experienced the joy of taking our children to school and university. I know it is not the most meritorious of explanations," he said.
Attorney Anthony Delany, who appeared on behalf of the Office of the Attorney General, argued that Thompson was aware of the summons.
"ASP Johnson is in court and we have a transcript of the serving of the summons," he said.
Assistant Superintendent Michael Anthony Johnson testified that shortly after 1 p.m. on September 12, he served Thompson at the Dunkin Donuts coffee shop on East Street south.
"I approached and identified myself and told her that I had a summons that she had to appear before the court on this date," he said.
She said she didn't want to receive the summons and that I should contact her attorney."
Grant-Thompson said she was satisfied "from what the witness stated that Ms. Love was aware that she had to be before this court this morning".
She then asked Ducille, "Are you of the view, considering her flagrant disregard for the court process, that if you ask her to come before the court whether she would come?"
Ducille replied, "I suspect that she would be here. I would undertake to tell her."
Justice Grant-Thompson then issued a bench warrant for Thompson's arrest.
"I have heard her reason for not being here. I do have some sympathy for that reason but certain not in the fact of the court process," she said.
Love is the former host of a talk show on Guardian Radio 96.9 FM.

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