Opinion ID: 2005358
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: analysis

Text: Cheryl alleges before trial began, Judge Swanson called both parties' attorneys into his chambers and made the statements previously set out in this opinion. Cheryl argues these statements demonstrate the district court's lack of impartiality, and coupled with its ultimate decision, acts as proof of the district court's abuse of discretion in handing down a decision that is not supported by the evidence, gender-biased, and punitive in nature. Therefore, she claims Judge Swanson abused his discretion when he did not recuse himself. She also contends this abuse of discretion coupled with the district court decision should be grounds for a new trial. A fair trial in a fair tribunal is a basic requirement of due process. Fairness of course requires an absence of actual bias in the trial of cases. In re Murchison, 349 U.S. 133, 136, 75 S.Ct. 623, 625, 99 L.Ed. 942, 946 (1955). Parties have a right to a neutral and detached judicial officer. State v. Mann, 512 N.W.2d 528, 532 (Iowa 1994). When a judge has demonstrated a blatant lack of regard for the law, other courts have found the judge abused his discretion in not recusing himself. See Allen v. Rutledge, 355 Ark. 392, 139 S.W.3d 491, 498-99 (2003) (holding when coupled with the overall biased tone of the judge and his remark `I can do anything I want. I'm the Judge.' created an abuse of discretion in declining to recuse). Although the judge's alleged pretrial statements raise the issue of recusal, the lack of a record regarding these statements precludes us and should have precluded the court of appeals from deciding this issue. The appellant has the duty to provide a record on appeal affirmatively disclosing the alleged error relied upon. In re F.W.S., 698 N.W.2d 134, 135 (Iowa 2005). We have long held in cases where a party claims a judge made a remark requiring us to rule on the propriety of the remark, the remark should be contained in the record. See State v. Hall, 79 Iowa 674, 675, 44 N.W. 914, 914 (1890) (holding objectionable remarks of the trial court will not be considered on appeal unless they are contained in a bill of exceptions); see also Ray v. Paul, 563 N.W.2d 635, 640 (Iowa Ct.App.1997) (limiting the court's discussion of the judge's remarks only to those contained in the bill of exceptions). This record illustrates the reason for our rule. Cheryl sets forth the remarks allegedly made by Judge Swanson in her motion for new trial. Although Scott admits Judge Swanson made some off-the-record remarks, he placed a different meaning on the remarks in his resistance. To even further confuse the record, Judge Swanson stated in his ruling [t]he contents of the motion for new trial concerning the off the record discussion with the court and counsel is self-serving, inaccurate, inflammatory, and inappropriate. Under this record, we cannot ascertain what Judge Swanson really said during the pretrial discussion. Accordingly, we will not speculate as to what took place or predicate error on such speculation. Consequently, we vacate that part of the court of appeals decision affirming the district court ruling denying Cheryl's motions for recusal and for a new trial based on the unreported remarks allegedly made by Judge Swanson. We, however, do affirm the district court ruling on these motions because Cheryl failed to preserve any error concerning these remarks. To avoid this situation in the future, the court and the lawyers are best advised to have all conversations reported when those conversations turn to the merits of the controversy. See Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.903 (requiring all trial proceedings to be reported). By doing so, the record will contain the remarks made by the court and any objections made to those remarks by the parties. If a party wants to appeal unreported remarks, that party needs to establish the record, including any objections made, through a bill of exceptions under Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 1.1001 or a statement of evidence under Iowa Rule of Appellate Procedure 6.10(3).