State Public Defender v. Iowa District Court for Linn County

STREIT, Justice.

A court-appointed attorney wants to be paid for her work. The juvenile court appointed counsel for a grandparent in a parental termination action. Iowa law does not give grandparents a right to counsel. The State Public Defender refused to pay the attorney for her work and expenses. The State Public Defender filed a petition for writ of certiorari after the juvenile court ordered him to pay the attorney. Because the Iowa Code only permits the State Public Defender to pay an attorney if the appointment is authorized by statute, the juvenile court exceeded its authority by…