Opinion ID: 2137389
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Voluntariness and Coercion.

Text: The first of the district court's grounds for suppressing the evidence involved the question of coercion. The district court's conclusions focus on the issue of coercion at the time the specimen was actually given. Rather, the court should focus on the issue of coercion at the time the consent was given. The determination of voluntariness is made from the fact at or before the time the consent was given. State v. Garcia, 461 N.W.2d 460, 464-65 (Iowa 1990). The law pertaining to the consent exception to a search warrant is helpful. [1] Warrantless searches and seizures are unreasonable unless they fall within one of the carefully drawn exceptions to the warrant requirement. State v. Meyer, 441 N.W.2d 762, 764-65 (Iowa 1989). Voluntary consent is one of the recognized exceptions to the requirement of a warrant. Id. at 765. Evidence obtained by consent which has been voluntarily given is admissible. Garcia, 461 N.W.2d at 462. The State must prove that the consent was free from duress and coercion. Id. When questions of voluntariness are raised, an examination of the totality of the circumstances is made. Id. The burden is on the State to establish voluntariness by a preponderance of the evidence. Id. Here, Stanford concedes he voluntarily agreed to provide a urine sample. He testified that he voluntarily signed the implied consent advisory. Furthermore, Stanford testified that he did not feel he was coerced in any fashion to sign the consent form.