2022 Archive | Court of Appeals Court Opinions

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, Tod Deck, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Tabor, P.J., Ahlers, J., and Scott, S.J.  Opinion by Ahlers, J.  (8 pages)

            Dukan Wuol appeals the denial of his motion to suppress and the exclusion of evidence at his suppression hearing.  OPINION HOLDS: The district court properly denied Wuol’s motion to suppress as there was reasonable suspicion to stop his vehicle.  The evidence offered at his suppression hearing was properly excluded under Iowa Rule of Evidence 5.608(b).

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Washington County, Crystal S. Cronk, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Heard by Bower, C.J., and Schumacher and Ahlers, JJ.  Opinion by Ahlers, J.  (10 pages)

            In a wrongful death action stemming from a house fire, the administrators of the estate contend summary judgment should not have been granted in favor of the State because the State is not protected by discretionary-function immunity.  OPINION HOLDS: Summary judgment was properly granted as both prongs of the discretionary-function-immunity test are satisfied.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Adams County, Elisabeth Reynoldson, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by Vaitheswaran, P.J.  (8 pages)

            William Coleman appeals his convictions for interference with official acts and assault on a peace officer, contending the district court erred in denying his second suppression motion and in refusing to submit his requested jury instruction on a defense of justification.  OPINION HOLDS: Upon our review, we affirm.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Sarah Crane, Judge.  AFFIRMED AND REMANDED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by Tabor, J.  (11 pages)

            A father appeals the grant of a motion to vacate a provision of a custody order granting him the right of first refusal when the custodial parent, the mother, needs childcare.  The father also appeals the district court’s denial of his application to hold the mother in contempt for violating this provision.  OPINION HOLDS: Because substantial evidence supports the factual findings of the district court that the father and his attorney perpetrated extrinsic fraud in the execution of the custody stipulation, we affirm the district court’s vacation of that provision.  We also find no abuse of discretion in the district court’s denial of the contempt application.  The added provision was too vague to enforce as written.  Finally, we find the mother is entitled to an award of attorney fees and remand for a determination of a reasonable amount. 

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Wapello County, Myron Gookin, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by May, P.J., and Greer and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by May, P.J.  (5 pages)

            A father appeals the jurisdictional dismissal of his modification petition in a child custody action.  OPINION HOLDS: Because the child does not have a significant connection to Iowa and substantial evidence regarding the child’s welfare is likely not available in this state, the district court correctly dismissed the petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, Tom Reidel, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by Tabor, J.  (5 pages)

            Deanthony Echols appeals his sentence for two counts of domestic abuse assault and harassment in the first degree, alleging the district court abused its sentencing discretion in not granting probation.  OPINION HOLDS: Because the court weighed many factors, including the need to deter future violence against the two victims, we find a proper exercise of discretion and affirm. 

            Certiorari to the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, Linda M. Fangman, Judge.  WRIT SUSTAINED AND CASE REMANDED.  Considered by May, P.J., and Schumacher and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by May, P.J.  (17 pages)

            A law firm seeks certiorari review of a district court order imposing monetary sanctions.  OPINION HOLDS: We find the district court did not abuse its discretion in concluding a sanction was appropriate.  But we do not agree with all of the grounds on which the district court based its decision to sanction.  So we remand with instructions to reconsider the amount of the sanction.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Wapello County, William S. Owens, Associate Juvenile Judge.  AFFIRMED ON BOTH APPEALS.  Considered by May, P.J., and Greer and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by Chicchelly, J.  (4 pages)

            A mother and a father separately appeal the termination of their parental rights to one child.  OPINION HOLDS: There is no evidence on which to find that the need for removal will no longer exist if the parents are granted additional time.  Termination is in the child’s best interests, and the mother failed to show termination will be detrimental to the child.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Scott County, Mark R. Lawson, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by May, P.J., and Greer and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by May, P.J.  (2 pages)

            Thuan Tran appeals the dismissal of his application for postconviction relief.  OPINION HOLDS: Tran’s application was filed beyond the three-year statute of limitations found in Iowa Code section 822.3 (2021).  And we do not adopt equitable tolling.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Marshall County, Paul G. Crawford, District Associate Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., Tabor, J., and Potterfield, S.J.  Opinion by Tabor, J.  (12 pages)

            Manuel, the father of eleven-year-old J.G., appeals the private termination of his parental rights under Iowa Code chapter 600A (2021).  He contends J.G.’s mother, Eliana, denied him visitation with the child.  OPINION HOLDS: We find Manuel abandoned the child under Iowa Code chapter 600A and affirm termination of his parental rights. 

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Adams County, Dustria A. Relph, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Vaitheswaran, P.J., and Tabor and Badding, JJ.  Opinion by Badding, J. (5 pages)

            Justin Parker appeals the sentence imposed upon his criminal conviction, arguing the court considered improper sentencing factors.  OPINION HOLDS: We conclude Parker has not established the sentence imposed was based on improper factors or otherwise amounts to an abuse of discretion.  We therefore affirm the sentence imposed.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Story County, Stephen A. Owen, District Associate Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by May, P.J., and Greer and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by May, P.J.  (5 pages)

            A father appeals the termination of his parental rights.  He challenges the statutory grounds authorizing termination and claims termination is not in the child’s best interest.  OPINION HOLDS: The child could not be safely returned to the father’s care, and termination is in the child’s best interest.