Iowa Admin. Code r. 493-11.3

Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 11, December 11, 2024

Rule 493-11.3 - Attorney minimum qualifications

To be eligible to contract with the state public defender for a type of case, the attorney must meet the minimum qualification requirements established by this rule for the particular type of case. Prior to contracting with the state public defender, an attorney shall certify the attorney's compliance with these requirements and, prior to renewal of the contract, shall certify compliance with any ongoing requirements. Satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee an attorney a contract with the state public defender. The state public defender retains the discretion to deny or terminate contracts if the state public defender determines that such action is in the best interests of the state.

(1)Juvenile cases. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in juvenile cases, including juvenile petitions on appeal, an attorney must be in compliance with Rule 8.36 of the Iowa Rules of Juvenile Procedure, regardless of whether the attorney seeks to represent parents or children or serve as guardian ad litem in juvenile court. An attorney contracting to represent indigent persons in juvenile cases must:

a. Participate in three hours of continuing legal education related to juvenile court proceedings prior to contracting with the state public defender; and

b. Continue to participate in three hours of continuing legal education related to juvenile court proceedings each year.

The state public defender shall review juvenile contract renewals and may apply juvenile-related continuing legal education hours in the same manner as criminal-related continuing legal education hours.

(2)Appellate cases. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in appellate cases, including direct appeals of criminal cases, appeals from postconviction relief proceedings, and appeals from any other case for which counsel is statutorily authorized to be paid from the indigent defense fund at the trial level except in cases where the attorney is statutorily appointed for purposes of the appeal, an attorney must:

a. Participate in the basic criminal appeals training sponsored by the state public defender within one year of entering into the contract, unless the attorney has already handled a criminal appeal in Iowa state court; and

b. Participate in three hours of continuing legal education related to criminal law each calendar year in which the attorney has an active indigent defense contract.

(3)Postconviction relief cases. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in postconviction relief cases at the trial level, an attorney must:

a. Have practiced criminal law or served as a judicial law clerk for two years or more in any state or federal court;

b. Participate in five hours of continuing legal education related to criminal law each calendar year in which the attorney has an active indigent defense contract and in the year prior to entering into the contract;

c. Participate in a postconviction relief basic training sponsored by the state public defender prior to entering into the contract, unless the attorney has previously handled at least three postconviction relief proceedings to completion; and

d. Provide the names of at least three judges or magistrates who can discuss the qualifications and effectiveness of the attorney to represent indigent persons in postconviction relief cases.

An attorney who has not met all the requirements may provide the state public defender additional detail regarding the attorney's experience and qualifications and the circumstances preventing the attorney from meeting all the requirements, and may be approved for contracting by the state public defender at the state public defender's sole discretion.

(4)Class A felonies. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in Class A felony cases at the trial level, an attorney must:

a. Have practiced criminal law for four years or more in any state or federal court;

b. Have tried at least five criminal jury trials involving indictable offenses to completion either as lead counsel or as a pro bono second attorney in a criminal jury trial if the service as pro bono second attorney is approved in advance for credit under this rule by the state public defender;

c. Participate in five hours of continuing legal education related to criminal law each calendar year in which the attorney has an active indigent defense contract and in the year prior to entering into the contract; and

d. Provide the names of at least three judges or magistrates who can discuss the qualifications and effectiveness of the attorney to represent indigent persons in Class A felony cases.

If an attorney satisfies the requirements for Class B felonies or Class C and Class D felonies, the attorney may contract to serve as the second attorney representing an indigent person in a Class A felony in a case where the first appointed attorney meets these requirements. An attorney who does not meet all the requirements may provide the state public defender additional detail regarding the attorney's experience and qualifications and the circumstances preventing the attorney from meeting all the requirements and may be approved for contracting by the state public defender at the state public defender's sole discretion.

(5)Class B felonies. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in Class B felony cases at the trial level, an attorney must:

a. Have practiced criminal law for three years or more in any state or federal court;

b. Have tried at least three criminal jury trials involving indictable offenses to completion either as lead counsel or as a pro bono second attorney in a criminal jury trial if the service as pro bono second attorney is approved in advance for credit under this rule by the state public defender;

d. Provide the names of at least three judges or magistrates who can discuss the qualifications and effectiveness of the attorney to represent indigent persons in Class B felony cases.

An attorney who has not met all requirements may provide the state public defender additional detail regarding the attorney's experience and qualifications and the circumstances preventing the attorney from meeting all the requirements and may be approved for contracting by the state public defender at the state public defender's sole discretion.

(6)Class C and D felonies. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in Class C and Class D felony cases at the trial level, an attorney must:

a. Have practiced criminal law for two years or more in any state or federal court;

b. Have tried at least one criminal jury trial to completion either as lead counsel or as a pro bono second attorney in a criminal jury trial if the service as pro bono second attorney is approved in advance for credit under this rule by the state public defender;

d. Provide the names of at least three judges or magistrates who can discuss the qualifications and effectiveness of the attorney to represent indigent persons in Class C and Class D felony cases.

(7)Misdemeanor and other cases. To be eligible to contract to represent indigent persons in misdemeanor cases, probation and parole revocation cases, contempt proceedings, and any other adult criminal or civil cases for which counsel is statutorily authorized to be paid from the indigent defense fund at the trial level, an attorney must:

a. Participate in the basic criminal defense training sponsored by the state public defender within one year of entering into the contract, unless the attorney already has an active indigent defense contract or has practiced criminal law for more than two years; and

b. Participate in three hours of continuing legal education related to criminal law each calendar year in which the attorney has an active indigent defense contract.

However, an attorney who has a contract to handle any felony offense may accept appointments in misdemeanor cases, probation and parole revocation cases, and contempt cases for which counsel is statutorily authorized to be paid from the indigent defense fund at the trial level, but the attorney with the contract to handle the felony offense will not be added to the list disseminated to the clerks of court to handle misdemeanor cases, probation and parole cases, or contempt cases unless the attorney has secured an amendment to the attorney's contract to handle those types of cases.

(8)Amended charges. An attorney who is appointed to a case that is initially within the scope of the attorney's contract but is subsequently amended to contain more serious charges that are outside the scope of the attorney's contract shall request that the court authorize the attorney's withdrawal from the case and appoint an attorney with a contract that covers the amended charges in the county in which the action was pending unless the court determines that no such attorney with an applicable contract is available or the state public defender consents to the continued representation by the original attorney.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 493-11.3

Amended by IAB June 25, 2014/Volume XXXVI, Number 26, effective 7/30/2014.

Amended by IAB February 03, 2016/Volume XXXVIII, Number 16, effective 3/9/2016

Amended by IAB April 21, 2021/Volume XLIII, Number 22, effective 5/26/2021

Amended by IAB January 11, 2023/Volume XLV, Number 14, effective 2/15/2023