Cathryn Ann Linn v. State of Iowa

APPEL, Justice.

In this case, an applicant for postconviction relief (PCR), Cathryn Ann Linn, claimed in the proceeding below that her trial counsel was ineffective for not adducing evidence of battered woman syndrome (BWS). To prove the claim, she sought a court-appointed BWS expert.

After Linn waited more than a year to learn whether the district court would appoint an expert, the State moved for summary disposition. The district court then denied Linn's request to appoint an expert and, in the same order, cited her failure to provide an expert in granting summary judgment for the State.

*721 Linn…