Opinion ID: 1835229
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Proper Remedy.

Text: By petition for writ of certiorari the State challenged the postconviction court's remedy of dismissal. The court cited as its authority Iowa Code section 663A.7 which states: If the court finds in favor of the applicant, it shall enter an appropriate order with respect to the conviction or sentence in the former proceedings, and supplementary orders as to rearraignment, retrial, custody, bail, discharge, correction of sentence, or other matters that may be necessary and proper. Although the statute grants authority to a court to order a discharge, this is not a proper remedy here. Section 663A.9 provides that the appeal proceeds according to the rules of appellate procedure for appeals in criminal cases. Section 814.22 directs that if a judgment against the defendant is reversed, the reversal shall be deemed an order for a new trial, unless the appellate court directs a different disposition. In State v. Hillsman, 281 N.W.2d 114, 117 (Iowa 1979), where exculpatory evidence was suppressed, we held that dismissal of the prosecution was not an appropriate remedy. Instead, the conviction should have been set aside and a new trial granted. Here there is no challenge made to the trial information. The defect causing reversal is similar to that in Hillsman. See also State v. Goff, 342 N.W.2d 830, 838 (Iowa 1983); 18 Am.Jur.2d Coram Nobis § 60, at 683 (1985). Accordingly, we sustain the writ of certiorari and order a new trial. DISTRICT COURT JUDGMENT AFFIRMED; WRIT SUSTAINED. All Justices concur, except HARRIS, CARTER and LAVORATO, JJ., who concur in result only.