State Public Defender v. Iowa District Court for Clarke County

LARSON, Justice.

The Clarke County District Court allowed attorney fees that exceeded an existing legal services contract between attorney Scott Bandstra and the state public defender. The public defender petitioned for certiorari, and we issued the writ. We conclude the district court exceeded its authority in granting fees beyond the amount provided for in the contract and therefore sustain the writ.

I. Facts and Prior Proceedings.

Attorney Bandstra’s attorney-fee claim was based on his representation of Martin Moon in Moon’s appeal from an order in a postconviction-relief case. Bandstra had a…