Opinion ID: 1987503
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Iowa Code section 910.2. This provision provides in relevant part:

Text: In all criminal cases in which there is a plea of guilty, verdict of guilty, or special verdict upon which a judgment of conviction is rendered, the sentencing court shall order that restitution be made by each offender to the victims of the offender's criminal activities, to the clerk of court for fines, penalties, surcharges, and, to the extent that the offender is reasonably able to pay, for crime victim assistance reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, or the expense of a public defender when applicable, or contribution to a local anticrime organization.... When the offender is not reasonably able to pay all or a part of the crime victim compensation program reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, the expense of a public defender, or contribution to a local anticrime organization, the court may require the offender in lieu of that portion of the crime victim compensation program reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, expense of a public defender, or contribution to a local anticrime organization for which the offender is not reasonably able to pay, to perform a needed public service for a governmental agency or for a private nonprofit agency which provides a service to the youth, elderly, or poor of the community.... Section 910.2 only applies in criminal cases where there has been a judgment of conviction followed by a sentence. In cases where the defendant is not reasonably able to pay, section 910.2 gives the district court the discretion to order the defendant to provide community services in lieu of the items mentioned. In contrast, section 321J.17 contemplates administrative action, not court action. The statute does not apply to a criminal proceeding and does not depend on a conviction of a crime. The IDOT imposes the section 321J.17 penalty whenever a person's license has been revoked under Iowa Code chapter 321J. Revocation may occur for test refusal pursuant to Iowa Code section 321J.9 or test failure pursuant to Iowa Code section 321J.12, even if no criminal conviction has occurred. The statute provides for a mandatory civil penalty, which must be imposed in addition to, or independent of, fines or any other items mentioned in section 910.2. Contrary to Cheely's contentions made on behalf of the district court, sections 321J.17 and 910.2 stand alone, with distinct legislative authorization and purposes. Moreover, section 910.2 gives the district court no authority to substitute community services in lieu of either a criminal fine or a civil penalty. The first part of the provision directs the district court to order the defendant to make restitution to the victims of the offender's criminal activities, to the clerk of court for fines, penalties, surcharges, and, to the extent that the offender is reasonably able to pay, for crime victim assistance reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, or the expenses of a public defender when applicable, or contribution to a local anticrime organization. Iowa Code § 910.2 (emphasis added). Fines and penalties are not listed after the reasonably able to pay clause, indicating the offender remains obligated to pay these items regardless of whether the offender is able to pay. Section 910.2 goes on to establish the following order of priority: In structuring a plan of restitution, the court shall provide for payments in the following order of priority: victim, fines, penalties, and surcharges, crime victim compensation program reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, or the expense of a public defender, and contribution to a local anticrime organization. Id. (emphasis added). Again, the intent is clear that the offender remains liable to pay fines and penalties regardless of whether the offender is able to pay. This becomes more clear in the next part of section 910.2, which authorizes the court to substitute community services: When the offender is not reasonably able to pay all or a part of the crime victim compensation program reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney's fees, the expense of a public defender, or contribution to a local anticrime organization, the court may require the offender in lieu of that portion of the crime victim compensation program reimbursement, court costs, court-appointed attorney fees, expense of a public defender, or contribution to a local anticrime organization for which the offender is not reasonably able to pay, perform a needed public service for a governmental agency or for a private nonprofit agency which provides a service to the youth, elderly, or poor of the community. Id. Fines and penalties are conspicuously absent from the list of items in lieu of which the district court may substitute community services. See Barnes v. Iowa Dep't of Transp., 385 N.W.2d 260, 262-63 (Iowa 1986) ( [L]egislative intent is expressed by omission as well as by inclusion.); cf. Iowa Code § 321J.2(2)(a) (providing that in first offense OWI court may as an alternative to a portion or all of the fine order the defendant to perform not more than two-hundred hours of unpaid community services). For all of these reasons, we conclude the district court had no authority to substitute community services for the section 321J.17 civil penalty that the IDOT had imposed.