"Unexpected section title or transition." errors from problematic syntax in docstring

[r-xue]

  File "/opt/miniforge3/envs/pipe1669/lib/python3.10/site-packages/docutils/parsers/rst/states.py", line 2426, in line
    msg = self.reporter.severe(
  File "/opt/miniforge3/envs/pipe1669/lib/python3.10/site-packages/docutils/utils/__init__.py", line 239, in severe
    return self.system_message(self.SEVERE_LEVEL, *args, **kwargs)
  File "/opt/miniforge3/envs/pipe1669/lib/python3.10/site-packages/docutils/utils/__init__.py", line 197, in system_message
    raise SystemMessage(msg, level)
docutils.utils.SystemMessage: :15: (SEVERE/4) Unexpected section title or transition.

......

Sphinx parallel build error:
docutils.utils.SystemMessage: :15: (SEVERE/4) Unexpected section title or transition.

......
make[1]: *** [Makefile:23: html] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory '/zfs/nvme/Workspace/nrao/tickets/PIPE-1669/paris/docs'
make: *** [Makefile:54: html_docs] Error 2

maybe related to this sphinx-doc/sphinx#7813