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Iowa Supreme Court Vacates Guilty Plea for Lack of Evidence and Ineffective Assistance of Counsel
by David M. Reutter
The Supreme Court of Iowa ruled there was no factual basis to support a defendant’s guilty plea to possessing a tool with the intent to use in the unlawful removal of a theft detection device. The Court further ruled that defense counsel was ineffective …
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More from this issue:
- Racism and Wrongful Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
- Sixth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief After Michigan Court Violates Confrontation Clause, by Dale Chappell
- Ninth Circuit: Mental Impairment that Prevented ‘Monitoring’ of Habeas Counsel’s Actions May Require Equitable Tolling, by Dale Chappell
- Tenth Circuit Vacates District Court’s Order Sealing Plea Supplement, Explaining Local Court Rule Doesn’t Abrogate Common Law Right of Access to Judicial Records, by Douglas Ankney
- Federal Judge Issues Order Reducing 40-Year Stacked § 924(c) Sentence Based on First Step Act Changes to Compassionate Release, by Chad Marks
- Latest Forensic Technology, Pattern Analysis, May Be ‘Pseudoscience’, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- SCOTUS: Jury Verdicts Must Be Unanimous to Convict on Criminal Charges, Overruling Apodaca, by Douglas Ankney
- ATF: What Is a Gun?, by Jayson Hawkins
- Michigan Supreme Court Announces that Duress May be Asserted as an Affirmative Defense to Felony Murder, Overruling Gimotty and Etheridge, by Douglas Ankney
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Failure to Include ‘Or Others’ in Jury Instruction for Self-Defense Against Multiple Assailants Deprived Defendant of Defense, by Dale Chappell
- Virus Vigilantes v. Virus Violators: Shunning, Shaming, or Policing COVID-19 May not Be the Cure, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
- SCOTUS: Due Process Doesn’t Require States to Adopt a Specific Test for Determining Insanity, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit: Defendant Lacked Culpability in Attempting to Export Ammunition by Merely Purchasing It, by Anthony Accurso
- Iowa Supreme Court Vacates Guilty Plea for Lack of Evidence and Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by David Reutter
- Second Circuit: Habeas Petition Not Moot Where It Attacked Inactive Original Order That Gave Rise to Current Active Order Restraining Petitioner’s Liberty, by Douglas Ankney
- Federal District Court Finds ‘Confusion’ Over Law in State Court Excused Late Filing of § 2255 Motion, by Dale Chappell
- Seventh Circuit Reiterates IAC Requires Only ‘Reasonable Probability,’ Not ‘More Likely Than Not,’ of Different Outcome, by Dale Chappell
- Divide and Conquer: New Algorithm Examines Crime-Scene Bullets Segment by Segment
- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Files Statement on Court’s Refusal to Hear Habeas Case, Despite Deep Circuit Split, by Dale Chappell
- SCOTUS: Knowledge that Driver’s License of Vehicle’s Registered Owner Was Revoked Provides Reasonable Suspicion to Initiate Traffic Stop, by Douglas Ankney
- Don’t Allow Government to Abuse Emergency Powers After COVID-19 Threat Subsides, by Douglas Ankney
- Notorious Louisiana Prosecutor Fired for Misconduct Technicality, by Edward Lyon
- Illinois Supreme Court: Failing to Stipulate Felon Status Allowing Jury to Hear About Murder Conviction Constitutes IAC, by Anthony Accurso
- 10th Circuit: Evidence Insufficient to Support Conviction for Attempting to Kill Witness, by Douglas Ankney
- $369,000 Settlement in Police Raid of Journalist’s Home and Office
- Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Meaning of ‘Mixture’ as Used in State’s Controlled Substances Act, by Douglas Ankney
- Colorado Supreme Court: Defendant Has No Duty to Bring Himself to Trial, by Douglas Ankney
- Fifth Circuit Finds IAC for Failure to Object to Court’s Jury Instructions that Constructively Amended Indictment by Lowering Government’s Burden of Proof, by Dale Chappell
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Cronic’s Presumption of Prejudice Triggered by Counsel Failing to Secure Interpreter for First Day of Trial, by Douglas Ankney
- U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Fifth Circuit’s Rule Barring Plain-Error Review of Unpreserved Factual Arguments, by Dale Chappell
- Ohio Supreme Court Announces New Standard for ‘Actual Racial Bias’ for Jurors and Holds Counsel Was Ineffective for Failing to Strike Racially Biased Juror, by Douglas Ankney
- FBI’s Long History of Squelching Political Dissent Under the Guise of National Security, by Jayson Hawkins
- No Consequences for Prosecutors’ Bad Behavior, by Jayson Hawkins
- Utah Supreme Court: Dismissal of Second Post-Conviction Petition Improper Where First Petition Voluntarily Withdrawn, by Douglas Ankney
- Nevada Supreme Court Rules Bail Determination Requires Due Process and Severs Unconstitutional Language from Bail Statute, by Douglas Ankney
- Federal Court Overturns Conviction for Person Linked to Former Subway Spokesperson’s Child Porn Case, by Dale Chappell
- Study Sheds Light on ‘Recidivism’ and Probation and Parole Violations, by Dale Chappell
- California Court of Appeal: Unoccupied Running Vehicle Doesn’t Justify Warrantless Search of Residence, by Douglas Ankney
- Utah Residents Can Wind Up in Jail When They Miss Loan Payments, by Kevin Bliss
- Interpreting Emojis as Court Evidence, by Anthony Accurso
- LAPD Officers Accused of Entering Names of Innocent People Into Gang Database, by Douglas Ankney
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Standards for Exit Order and Patfrisk, by Anthony Accurso
- ‘No-Knock Raids’ an Increasing Danger to Public Safety, by Jayson Hawkins
- A Mass Purge of Misconduct Records by Phoenix, Arizona Police, by Bill Barton
- Cops in Missouri Exploit Loophole to Seize $2.6 Million from Innocent Citizens, by Douglas Ankney
- How Old Is That Fingerprint?, by Douglas Ankney
- News in Brief
More from David Reutter:
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
- Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
- Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Ninth Circuit Holds Martinez May Excuse Nevada’s Timeliness and Successive-Petition Bars for Trial Ineffective Assistance Claims, Oct. 1, 2026. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Cause and Prejudice, Counsel - Right to, Statutes of Limitation and Laches.
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Theft by Deception Is Not Continuing Offense While Receiving Stolen Property Continues Only Until Defendant Disposes of Stolen Property, Aug. 1, 2026. Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Lack of Evidence, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Statutes of Limitation and Laches.
- Maryland Supreme Court Announces Public Defender Act Requires Effective Assistance of Counsel in Certiorari Petition Where Public Defender Appointed Panel Attorney for Direct Appeal and Certiorari Petition, Dec. 15, 2025. Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Strickland Standard.
- Washington Court of Appeals Refuses to Let DOC Play “Both Sides” with State Prisoner, Dec. 1, 2025. DOC/BOP misconduct, Notice of Rules, Evidence, Fourteenth Amendment, rights, Lack of Evidence.
- Kansas Supreme Court: Trial Court Erred by Admitting Evidence of Prior Crimes Without Proper Foundation Because State Failed to Prove Defendant Committed Those Crimes, Nov. 15, 2025. Lack of Evidence, Motive/Opportunity/Intent/Identity Evidence, Prejudice - Potential for Undue, Character/Reputation/Propensity, Bad Acts Evidence.
- Illinois Supreme Court Announces Conviction for Attempted First Degree Murder Requires ‘Intent to Kill Without Lawful Justification, Aug. 1, 2025. Jury Instructions, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Inconsistent.
- News in Brief, June 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.
- Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Sixth Amendment, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Defense Counsel Had Actual Conflict of Interest Where Own Performance During Police Interview of Defendant Could Serve as Basis of Motion to Suppress Based on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, New Trial Required W, March 15, 2025. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Motions To Suppress, Conflict of Interest.
- Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
