State Of Iowa Vs. William Basinger, Frank Cordaro, Carla Dawson, Gilbert Dawes, Jeanne Firth, Fran Fuller, James Johnson, Jane Magers, Michael Schorsch, Marian Soloman, Brian Terrell, Carolyn Walker, And Elton Davis

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF IOWA
No. 89 / 05-0621
Filed September 22, 2006
STATE OF IOWA,
Appellee,
vs.
WILLIAM BASINGER, FRANK CORDARO, CARLA DAWSON, GILBERT
DAWES, JEANNE FIRTH, FRAN FULLER, JAMES JOHNSON, JANE
MAGERS, MICHAEL SCHORSCH, MARIAN SOLOMAN, BRIAN TERRELL,
CAROLYN WALKER, and ELTON DAVIS,
Appellants.
Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Polk County, Robert A.
Hutchison, Judge.
Defendants appeal taxation of jury and court reporter fees.
AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND CASE REMANDED
WITH DIRECTIONS.
Sally Frank, Drake University Legal Clinic, Des Moines, and Judie
Levy, Student Legal Intern, for appellants Basinger, Cordaro, Dawson,
Dawes, Firth, Fuller, Johnson, Magers, Schorsch, Soloman, Terrell and
Walker.
Tara Elcock, Des Moines, for appellant Davis.
Thomas J. Miller, Attorney General, Darrel Mullins, Assistant
Attorney General, John P. Sarcone, County Attorney, Olubunmi Salami,
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Assistant County Attorney, and Tanya Fawcett, Student Legal Intern, for
appellee.
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LAVORATO, Chief Justice.
In this appeal, we are asked to determine whether the clerk of the
district court correctly taxed each jointly tried defendant convicted of a
simple misdemeanor a jury fee of $100 pursuant to Iowa Code section
625.8(1) (2003) and a court reporter fee of $15 per day pursuant to Iowa
Code section 625.8(2). We conclude the clerk correctly taxed the jury and
court reporter fee to each nonindigent defendant. However, because of Iowa
Rule of Criminal Procedure 2.67(9), the clerk incorrectly taxed the court
reporter fee to the indigent defendants. Accordingly, we affirm in part and
reverse in part the judgment of the district court and remand the case for a
correct entry of costs.
I. Background Facts and Proceedings.
On March 22, 2003, a number of individuals gathered across the
street from the STARC Armory in Johnston, Iowa to protest the war in Iraq.
A security officer with the Amory warned the protestors that they would be
arrested for trespass if they crossed a tar line on the road. Disregarding the
warning, the protestors crossed the line. They also disregarded the officer’s
warning that if they did not leave they would be arrested.
Later that day, William Basinger, Frank Cordaro, Elton Davis, Carla
Dawson, Gilbert Dawes, Jeanne Firth, Fran Fuller, James Johnson, Jane
Magers, Michael Schorsch, Marian Soloman, Brian Terrell, and Carolyn
Walker (the defendants) were arrested and charged with trespass, a simple
misdemeanor, in violation of Iowa Code sections 716.7(2)(b) and 716.8(1).
Dawson was arrested later than the others. She had crossed the tar line to
take pictures of the group, was told she would be arrested if she did not
leave, and did not leave after being warned.
The defendants pleaded not guilty and made a jury demand. The
defendants were jointly tried, and a jury found each defendant guilty of the
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charge. Later, the district court imposed the following sentence on each
defendant: $50 fine (pursuant to Iowa Code section 903.1(1)(a)), 30%
criminal penalty surcharge (pursuant to Iowa Code sections 903.1(4) and
911.2), $125 law enforcement initiative surcharge (pursuant to Iowa Code
section 911.3(1)(a)), and court costs. In addition, the defendants were each
taxed as costs the full amount of the court reporter fee and the jury fee;
those fees were not apportioned among the defendants.
The defendants appealed to the district court, which affirmed each
conviction. The court concluded no errors were committed by the clerk in
taxing the costs to the defendants. In so concluding, the court noted that
each defendant was given a file and unique case number, the cases could
have been tried individually, and a separate finding of guilt was entered for
each of the defendants. As to the court reporter fee, the court noted that it
could not find anything in the record that showed only two indigent
defendants requested a transcript. The court concluded that because none
of the defendants opted out of the trial with a court reporter, court reporter
fees were properly taxed to each defendant.
We granted the defendants’ application for discretionary review. See
Iowa R. App. P. 6.201-6.203 (rules governing discretionary review).
II. Issues.
The defendants raise the question whether jointly tried defendants
should each be taxed the full amount of the jury and court reporter fees.
Additionally, the defendants raise the question whether all defendants
should have been taxed the full court reporter fees when, according to the
defendants, only indigent defendants requested a court reporter.
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III. Scope of Review.
Because resolution of the issues raised turns on interpretation of
statutes, our review is for correction of errors at law. Hansen v. Cent. Iowa
Hosp. Corp., 686 N.W.2d 476, 479 (Iowa 2004).
IV. Taxation of Jury and Court Reporter Fees.
Iowa Code section 625.8(1) provides that “[t]he clerk of the district
court shall tax as a court cost a jury fee of one hundred dollars in every
action tried to a jury.” Iowa Code section 625.8(2) provides that “[t]he clerk
of the district court shall tax as a court cost a fee of fifteen dollars per day
for the services of a court reporter.” The clerk of the district court taxed
each defendant $100 as a jury fee and $150 as a court reporter fee.
(Because a court reporter was needed for the eight-day trial and two
additional hearings, the court reporter fee amounted to $150.)
The defendants contend the clerk should have apportioned the $100
jury fee among the thirteen defendants requiring each defendant to pay
1/13 of the fee or $7.69. The defendants contend that the clerk should also
have apportioned the $150 court reporter fee among the thirteen defendants
requiring each defendant to pay 1/13 of the fee or $11.54.
Not surprisingly, the State disagrees. The State notes that the words
“every action” in the jury fee statute supports the district court’s ruling that
the clerk committed no error in taxing a jury fee of $100 against each
defendant. See Iowa Code § 625.8(1). “Action,” the State asserts, is defined
as “any judicial proceeding, which, if conducted to a determination, will
result in a judgment or decree.” Black’s Law Dictionary 31 (8th ed. 2004).
In this case, the State argues, thirteen judgments of guilty were entered as a
result of thirteen actions tried to a jury; the clerk accordingly taxed court
costs for each judgment entered. The State relies on the same reasoning to
support the district court ruling that the clerk committed no error in taxing
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a court reporter fee of $15 per day against each defendant for each of the
hearings.
This court has long been committed to the rule that costs are not
apportioned in criminal cases. See, e.g., City of Cedar Rapids v. Linn
County, 267 N.W.2d 673, 674 (Iowa 1978); State v. Belle, 92 Iowa 258, 260-
61, 60 N.W. 525, 526 (1894); State v. Verwayne, 44 Iowa 621, 621 (1876).
In Belle, this court held that the predecessor statutes to what are now Iowa
Code sections 625.1 (costs recoverable by the successful party against the
losing party), 625.3 (court can make an equitable apportionment of costs
when a party is successful on part of the party’s demand), and 625.4
(apportionment among numerous parties) do not apply to criminal
prosecutions. See City of Cedar Rapids, 267 N.W.2d at 674 (citing Belle, 92
Iowa at 260, 60 N.W. at 526, for this proposition). In reaching its
conclusion, the court in Belle reasoned as follows:
It seems to us clear from the language of these sections that
they do not apply to criminal prosecutions. In criminal
prosecutions the party is successful as to all or as to no part of
his demand, the demand upon the one hand being guilty, and
upon the other, innocent. Though there may be several
defendants and several judgments, there can be but one
plaintiff; and, where there are several defendants and several
judgments, the costs follow the judgment without
apportionment.
92 Iowa at 260-61, 60 N.W. at 526 (reversing district court’s apportionment
of court costs among the defendant, the county, and the state and taxing all
of the costs to the defendant in a murder case; the district court had
apportioned the costs because the jury found defendant guilty of a lesser
included offense).
We adopt the rule that costs are to be taxed by the case, that is, one
fee for each case. Such a rule is in harmony with the jury and court
reporter fee statutes and the no apportionment rule. The rule makes sense
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because each defendant here had a case file with a separate case number
and each had a case presented to the jury for which a court reporter was
used. It was necessary for the prosecution to present evidence specific to
each defendant to prove the charge against each defendant. Viewed in this
manner, the rule also eliminates the defendants’ objection that the clerk
here was trying to recover multiple times for the same costs. Accordingly,
we conclude each defendant was properly taxed a jury fee of $100 for his or
her case and a court reporter fee of $15 per day except as to the indigent
defendants, as we discuss later in this opinion.
V. Whether All Defendants Should be Taxed Court Reporter Fees.
Iowa Rule of Criminal Procedure 2.67(9), pertaining to simple
misdemeanors, provides in relevant part:
The proceedings upon trial shall not be reported, unless a
party provides a reporter at such party’s expense. . . . If the
defendant is indigent and requests that the proceedings upon
trial be reported, the judicial magistrate shall cause them to be
reported by a reporter . . . at public expense.
Iowa R. Crim. P. 2.67(9).
The defendants contend that only two of the defendants, both of
whom were indigent, requested court reporter services and that none of the
defendants who had funds made such a request. The defendants further
contend that the rule does not shift the costs to the defendant at the end of
trial as part of the costs of the action but only states that the reporter will
be provided at public expense. In these circumstances, the defendants
conclude, none of the defendants should have to pay the court reporter fee
because the rule only provides that the reporter will be provided at public
expense.
We agree with the defendants that court reporter fees cannot be taxed
against the indigent defendants because rule 2.67(9) clearly provides
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otherwise. However, contrary to the defendants’ contention, the rule only
exempts indigent defendants and says nothing about a blanket exemption
for all other jointly tried defendants. For this reason, we think the
defendants are reading the rule too broadly.
The record fails to show that any of the nonindigent defendants
objected to having the proceedings reported. They had the advantage of
such services, and we consider their silence as a waiver of any objection to
having the proceedings reported. Having failed to object, they are
responsible for the court reporter fee.
We disagree with the district court’s holding that Iowa Code section
815.9(3) somehow obligates the indigent defendants in this case for the
court reporter fee. That provision provides:
If a person is granted an appointed attorney, the person shall be
required to reimburse the state for the total cost of legal
assistance provided to the person. “Legal assistance” as used
in this section shall include not only an appointed attorney,
but also transcripts, witness fees, expenses, and any other
goods or services required by law to be provided to an indigent
person entitled to an appointed attorney.
Iowa Code § 815.9(3) (first emphasis added). As the defendants point out,
none of the defendants requested or was granted a court-appointed
attorney. We agree with the defendants that by its language section
815.9(3) does not apply.
The State cites Iowa Code section 815.13 to uphold the district court
ruling. That provision provides:
The county or city which has the duty to prosecute a
criminal action shall pay the costs of depositions taken on
behalf of the prosecution, the costs of transcripts requested by
the prosecution, and in criminal actions prosecuted by the
county or city under county or city ordinance the fees that are
payable to the clerk of the district court for services rendered
and the court costs taxed in connection with the trial of the
action or appeals from the judgment. The county or city shall
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pay witness fees and mileage in trials of criminal actions
prosecuted by the county or city under county or city
ordinance. These fees and costs are recoverable by the county
or city from the defendant unless the defendant is found not
guilty or the action is dismissed, in which case the state shall
pay the witness fees and mileage in cases prosecuted under
state law.
Iowa Code § 815.13. Because the district court did not consider this
provision in its ruling, we will not consider it for the first time on appeal.
See DeVoss v. State, 648 N.W.2d 56, 63 (Iowa 2002) (holding that court will
not consider an issue raised for the first time on appeal). Moreover, we have
serious doubts whether the statute even applies.
VI. Disposition.
In sum, we conclude that the clerk of the district court correctly taxed
a jury fee of $100 to each defendant. The clerk also correctly taxed a court
reporter fee of $15 per day to each nonindigent defendant but incorrectly
taxed such fee to the indigent defendants. Accordingly, we affirm in part
and reverse in part the judgment of the district court and remand the case
for a correct entry of costs.
AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND CASE REMANDED
WITH DIRECTIONS.