Opinion ID: 2062013
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Whether a Fine was Mandatory With Respect to Defendant's Sentence on the OWI Offense.

Text: This court recognized in State v. Chana, 476 N.W.2d 38, 40 (Iowa 1991), in an OWI (first offense) case, that the right of a sentencing judge to suspend the execution of [a] sentence or any part of it, as provided in section 901.5(3) included the right to suspend a fine. That right is negated only when a specific statute withholds this general sentencing authority. State v. Hildebrand, 280 N.W.2d 393, 397 (Iowa 1979). A fine is a portion of the sentence. Chana, 476 N.W.2d at 40. Although the sentencing statute applicable to OWI (third offense), section 321J.2(2)(c), negates the authority of the court to suspend the minimum thirty-day jail sentence, there is no limitation against suspending the fine portion of the sentence. The State argues that the fine cannot be suspended because the language of the statute requires the imposition of both a sentence of confinement (a portion of which may not be suspended) and a fine. That argument pertains to the imposition of a fine and does not deal with the right of the court under section 901.5(3) to impose the fine and then suspend it. The district court was not correct in concluding that it had no discretion to suspend the fine portion of the judgment on the OWI (third offense) conviction. Based on this conclusion, we vacate defendant's sentence on the OWI (third offense) charge and remand the case to the district court for the resentencing of defendant on that charge.