Opinion ID: 2000971
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Whether the Sentencing Judge Failed to Exercise Discretion in Requiring Restitution of Room and Board Costs at the Jail.

Text: During the sentencing hearing the sentencing judge expressed the view that he was required by law to order restitution for defendant's room and board at the jail. Defendant contends that this was an incorrect statement of the law because the imposition of restitution for room and board expenses for a defendant's stay in jail is discretionary. As support for this contention, he relies on the language of section 356.7(1) that provides: The county sheriff may charge a prisoner ... for the room and board provided to the prisoner while in the custody of the county sheriff. (Emphasis added.) The defendant is correct in contending that, if a court has discretion, a defendant is entitled to have it exercised. State v. Harrison, 351 N.W.2d 526, 527 (Iowa 1984). We believe, however, that defendant's effort to establish discretion by the use of the word may in section 356.7(1) confuses the obligation of the sheriff to seek restitution, which is discretionary, with the obligation of the court to order restitution of the amounts certified by the sheriff, which is not. Iowa Code section 910.2 requires a sentencing judge to order restitution for court costs including correctional fees approved pursuant to section 356.7. As a postscript to the court's restitution order, the following notations were set forth: Restitution for pecuniary damages: $ not avail. Restitution for court costs: $ 75.00 Restitution for court-appointed attorney's $ 542.25 fees: Restitution to Clinton County for $ not yet avail. room and board jail expenses: We interpret the sentencing order as only requiring restitution for those room and board costs that the sheriff ultimately certifies, not exceeding ten dollars per day. If the sheriff fails to certify any room and board costs, the defendant will have no obligation to make restitution for room and board at the jail.