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Terms Used In Iowa Code 814.11

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Appellate: About appeals; an appellate court has the power to review the judgement of another lower court or tribunal.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Public defender: Represent defendants who can't afford an attorney in criminal matters.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
814.11 Indigent’s right to counsel.
1. An indigent person is entitled to appointed counsel on the appeal of all cases if the
person is entitled to appointment of counsel under § 815.9.
2. a. If the appeal involves an indictable offense or denial of postconviction relief, the appointment shall be made to the state appellate defender unless the state appellate defender notifies the court that the state appellate defender is unable to handle the case.
b. If the state appellate defender is unable to handle the case, the state public defender may transfer the case to a local public defender office, nonprofit organization, or private attorney designated by the state public defender to handle such a case. The state appellate defender shall notify the supreme court of the transfer of a case, and upon such notification the responsibility of the state appellate defender in the case terminates.
c. If, after transfer of the case to a local public defender office, nonprofit organization, or private attorney, the local public defender office, nonprofit organization, or private attorney withdraws from the case, the court shall appoint an attorney who has a contract with the state public defender to provide legal services in appellate cases.
3. a. In a juvenile case under chapter 232 or a proceeding under chapter 600A, the trial attorney shall continue representation throughout the appeal without an additional appointment order unless the court grants the attorney permission to withdraw from the case. b. If the court grants the attorney permission to withdraw, the court shall appoint the state
public defender’s designee pursuant to § 13B.4.
c. If the state public defender has not made a designation pursuant to § 13B.4 to handle the type of case or the state public defender‘s designee is unable to handle the case, the court shall appoint an attorney who has a contract with the state public defender to provide legal services in appellate cases.
4. a. In all other cases not specified in subsection 2 or 3, or except as otherwise provided in this section, the court shall appoint the state public defender’s designee pursuant to section
13B.4.
b. If the state public defender has not made a designation pursuant to § 13B.4 to handle these other types of cases or the state public defender’s designee is unable to handle the case, the court shall appoint an attorney who has a contract with the state public defender to provide legal services in appellate cases to represent an indigent person.
5. If the court determines that no contract attorney is available to handle the appeal, the court may appoint a noncontract attorney, if the state public defender consents to the appointment of the noncontract attorney. The order of appointment shall include a specific finding that no contract attorney is available and the state public defender consents to the appointment.
6. The appointment of an attorney shall be on a rotational or equalization basis, considering the experience of the attorney and the difficulty of the case.
7. An attorney who has been retained or has agreed to represent a person on appeal and subsequently applies to the court for appointment to represent that person on appeal because the person is indigent shall notify the state public defender of the application. Upon the filing of the application, the attorney shall provide the state public defender with a copy of any representation agreement, and information on any moneys earned or paid to the attorney prior to the appointment.
8. An attorney appointed under this section is not liable to a person represented by the attorney for damages as a result of a conviction in a criminal case unless the court determines in a postconviction proceeding or on direct appeal that the person’s conviction resulted from ineffective assistance of counsel, and the ineffective assistance of counsel is the proximate cause of the damage. In juvenile or civil proceedings, an attorney appointed under this section is not liable to a person represented by the attorney for damages unless it has been determined

§814.11, APPEALS FROM THE DISTRICT COURT 2

that the attorney has provided ineffective assistance of counsel and the ineffective assistance of counsel is the proximate cause of the damage.
[C79, 81, §814.11]
99 Acts, ch 135, §23; 2002 Acts, ch 1067, §14; 2004 Acts, ch 1017, §3; 2005 Acts, ch 19, §119;
2008 Acts, ch 1061, §4 – 6; 2012 Acts, ch 1063, §5; 2013 Acts, ch 90, §210; 2013 Acts, ch 116, §4
Referred to in §13B.4, 22.7(44), 815.7, 815.11