2025 Archive | Court of Appeals Court Opinions

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Lyon County, Jessica Noll, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Greer, P.J., and Badding and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by Badding, J. (5 pages)

            Jackson Nockels was convicted for first-offense operating while intoxicated.  He appeals the denial of his motion to suppress, arguing that because the deputy lacked reasonable suspicion to initiate the traffic stop, his federal and state constitutional rights were violated.  OPINION HOLDS: Considering the totality of the circumstances, we agree with the district court that the deputy had reasonable suspicion to initiate the stop.  Accordingly, we affirm the denial of the motion to suppress.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Black Hawk County, Melissa Anderson-Seeber, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Tabor, C.J., and Greer and Buller, JJ.  Opinion by Greer, J.  (12 pages)

            Roland Ricardo Anderson appeals the district court order denying his application for postconviction relief, arguing he received ineffective assistance from trial counsel.  OPINION HOLDS: We affirm, as Anderson failed to meet his burden to prove ineffective assistance of counsel.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Boone County, Ashley Beisch, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Badding and Langholz, JJ.  Opinion by Schumacher, P.J. (10 pages)

            Kirby appeals his conviction of two counts of assault on persons in certain occupations, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence.  OPINION HOLDS: Following our review, we affirm.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County, Karen Kaufman Salic, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Greer, P.J., and Badding and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by Badding, J. (4 pages)

            Kenneth Nelson appeals the sentences imposed following his guilty pleas to two charges of third-offense possession of controlled substances.  OPINION HOLDS: Finding no abuse of the district court’s discretion, we affirm.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Marion County, David Faith, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Badding and Langholz, JJ.  Opinion by Schumacher, J.  (3 pages)

            Defendant appeals two convictions, claiming an Iowa statute relating to search and seizure of garbage is unconstitutional.  OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the district court’s denial of Lowman’s motion to suppress the challenged evidence.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County, Monica Zrinyi Ackley, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Tabor, C.J., and Ahlers and Langholz, JJ.  Opinion by Tabor, C.J.  (7 pages)

            M.T. appeals the protective order entered under Iowa Code chapter 236A (2024) barring him from contact with his five-year-old daughter, N.W.  He contends the child’s mother A.W. failed to meet her burden to prove he sexually abused N.W.  OPINION HOLDS: We find A.W. proved the sexual abuse allegations by a preponderance of the evidence, so we affirm. 

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Brendan Greiner, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Badding and Langholz, JJ.  Opinion by Langholz, J. (6 pages)

            Jeremy Batiste appeals his sentence for domestic-abuse assault causing bodily injury, arguing that the district court improperly considered unproven criminal conduct when it considered his guilty plea and failure to appear for sentencing in a separate criminal case shortly before his commission of this offense.  OPINION HOLDS: The court indeed relied on the conduct Batiste challenges on appeal.  But the court could properly do so because Batiste’s counsel admitted at sentencing that the conduct occurred.  We thus affirm Batiste’s sentence.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Linn County, David M. Cox, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Buller and Sandy, JJ.  Opinion by Buller, J.  (9 pages)

            A father appeals the district court’s modified dissolution decree placing physical care of his children with their mother.  OPINION HOLDS: Considering the history of these parents, the record before us, and the district court’s findings, we affirm the district court’s order and we decline to award either party appellate attorneys’ fees.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Dubuque County, Thomas A. Bitter, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Ahlers, P.J., and Chicchelly and Sandy, JJ.  Opinion by Sandy, J.  (6 pages)

            Joy Langrine appeals his sentence following his guilty plea to assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.  On appeal, Langrine claims that the district court abused its discretion in imposing a two-year sentence.  OPINION HOLDS: Because the district court did not abuse its discretion, we affirm.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Hardin County, Christopher C. Polking, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Buller and Sandy, JJ.  Opinion by Buller, J.  (2 pages)

            A former spouse appeals the dismissal of his petition to vacate his dissolution decree.  OPINION HOLDS: We affirm the district court’s ruling.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County, Karen Kaufman Salic, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by without oral argument by Greer, P.J., and Badding and Chicchelly, JJ.  Opinion by Chicchelly, J. (6 pages)

            Victor Swai appeals his sentence for assault causing bodily injury alleging the district court considered improper sentencing factors and did not explain its reasons for the sentence imposed.  OPINION HOLDS: Upon our review, we find the district court did not consider improper sentencing factors and gave adequate explanation for its sentence.  We affirm.

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Wright County, Gregg R. Rosenbladt, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered without oral argument by Schumacher, P.J., and Badding and Langholz, JJ.  Opinion by Schumacher, P.J.  (8 pages)

            A former spouse appeals from a decree of dissolution of marriage, challenging the division and award of three accounts.  OPINION HOLDS: Following our de novo review, we affirm.