Judge drops contempt hearing after Villanueva agrees to attend oversight meeting A Superior Court judge Thursday canceled a contempt hearing next month that had been scheduled because of L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by a civilian oversight panel. (Josie Norris / Los Angeles Times) Dec. 24, 2020 5:50 PM PT Print A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge Thursday canceled a contempt hearing that had been set for next month over Sheriff Alex Villanueva’s refusal to comply with a subpoena to testify before a civilian oversight panel. Lawyers representing L.A. County dropped the case against Villanueva after he showed up voluntarily to this month’s Civilian Oversight Commission meeting — for the first time since July of last year — and agreed to appear again next month to discuss his agency’s coronavirus pandemic response in the jails.