State of Iowa
v.
Michael John Opperud
Appellee
State of Iowa
Appellant
Michael John Opperud
Attorney for the Appellee
Louis S. Sloven, Assistant Attorney General
Attorney for the Appellant
Richard N. Tompkins, Jr.
Court of Appeals
Court of Appeals Opinion
Opinion Number:
Date Published:
Summary
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Bremer County, Chris Foy, Judge. AFFIRMED. Considered by Tabor, P.J., Mullins, J., and Blane, S.J. Opinion by Tabor, P.J. (6 pages)
The defendant agreed to pay restitution at the rate of fifty dollars a month after pleading guilty to theft in the first degree. But two years later, facing serious health issues, he petitioned the district court to find he did not have the ability to pay the remaining balance. The court found it had no authority to grant such relief. OPINION HOLDS: The district court decision is correct. Despite the change in the defendant’s circumstances, the court is without authority to grant him the relief he seeks—eliminating his entire obligation to pay restitution including victim restitution, court costs, and attorney fees. The defendant did not unbundle the courts costs and attorney fees from the victim restitution, and it was not an abuse of discretion for the court to deny the general request to eliminate restitution altogether.
