Direct contempt of court is generally defined as the power of the Court to control the judicial process.

If you act in a disruptive or disrespectful manner before the court, or threaten to take some action outside the court house against the courts operation; such as a well placed bomb, or make a physical threat against the judge, all conduct that the court process can not endure, the Judge has the power to undertake any action deemed sufficient to convince you of the error of your ways from a stiff talking to, levying a fine, or placing you in jail for a set amount of time as punishment.

Some courts determine that they will hold contempt matters to the end of trial. I think that to do so demonstrates that the judicial process could continue unabated and as such the grounds for direct contempt were not met.

Generally, if you are involved in a direct contempt the hearing is immediate, and you will have no time to call me before it is over. However, if the judge lets you get an attorney, call, maybe the judge will cool down before I can get there.