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Case No. 20-0085

For summaries from opinions prior to August, 2018, view PDF versions here

State of Iowa
v.
Joshua G. Chapalonis

Appellee

State of Iowa

Appellant

Joshua G. Chapalonis

Attorney for the Appellee

Tyler J. Buller, Assistant Attorney General

Attorney for the Appellant

Shellie L. Knipfer, Assistant Appellant Defender

Court of Appeals

Court of Appeals Opinion

Opinion Number:
20-0085
Date Published:
Jul 21, 2021
Summary

            Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Cass County, Jeffrey L. Larson, Judge.  AFFIRMED.  Considered by Bower, C.J., and Tabor and Ahlers, JJ.  Opinion by Tabor, J. (11 pages)         

            Joshua Chapalonis appeals his seven convictions for sexual abuse in the second degree.  He argues the district court improperly allowed the jury to hear privileged communications he made to his substance-abuse counselor.  He also challenges the admission of expert testimony concerning the delayed disclosure of children in sex abuse cases.  OPINION HOLDS: Because any confidential communications were admissible under the privilege exception in Iowa Code section 232.74 (2020) and the district court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the forensic interviewer to testify about the delayed disclosure, we decline to grant a new trial.  Thus, we affirm the convictions. 

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