Opinion ID: 1700516
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Authority to Deduct Outside Funds.

Text: In March 1992 the department of corrections revised its policy number IN-V-106. IN-V-106 previously provided for the collection of court-ordered restitution from inmates only from allowances paid to inmates through institutional payroll. The revision of IN-V-106 permitted deductions from all credits to an inmate's account for restitution. On appeal Ashburn contends that the institutional rule change was not enacted pursuant to the Iowa Administrative Procedure Act and is therefore invalid. The State asserts Ashburn has not preserved error on this issue. It notes that before the trial court Ashburn simply asserted there was no authority for the State to deduct outside funds from his account but did not challenge the rule making procedure used to enact IN-V-106. Ordinarily, issues must be raised and decided by the trial court before they may be raised and decided on appeal. Peters v. Burlington N. R.R., 492 N.W.2d 399, 401 (Iowa 1992). We believe the State is correct in its assertion that this issue was not preserved for appeal. However, even if Ashburn had preserved error on this issue, effective December 14, 1994, Iowa Administrative Code rule 201-20.11(7) was amended to provide authority for the department of corrections to deduct restitution payments from all credits to an inmate's account with certain exemptions. The amendment essentially codifies revised policy number IN-V-106. Therefore, insofar as Ashburn complains of present and future authority for the State to deduct funds deposited by outside sources from his prison account, this issue appears to be moot. Insofar as Ashburn complains about deductions made from his account prior to the amendment to Iowa Administrative Code rule 210-20.11(7), we believe the resolution of the due process issue in the next section renders this claim moot as well.