State of Iowa v. Christopher Craig Thompson

For the reasons expressed below, I conclude the judgment of the district court must be vacated to allow for an in camera inspection of Jherica Richardson’s mental health records under Iowa Code section 622.10(4) (Supp.2011). I write separately, however, to express my views on the important issues raised in this case and in the companion case of State v. Thompson, 836 N.W.2d 470 (Iowa 2013), also decided today. As will be demonstrated below, the legal issue in these cases with respect to the new statute is not whether the legislature’s solution is “better” than the approach of this court in…