Opinion ID: 2182164
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Right to Production of the Report.

Text: Even if Braun's application in the criminal case were considered to be an application for production of the report through a separate action, see Woodbury County Attorney, 448 N.W.2d at 22, the court's decision was well within its discretion under Iowa Code section 901.4. That section provides: The presentence investigation report is confidential and the court shall provide safeguards to ensure its confidentiality, including but not limited to sealing the report, which may be opened only by further court order. At least three days prior to the date set for sentencing, the court shall make all of the presentence investigation report available for inspection to the defendant's attorney, and to the attorney for the state. However, the court may conceal the identity of the person who provided confidential information. The report of a medical examination or psychological or psychiatric evaluation shall be made available to the attorney for the state and to the defendant upon request. The reports are part of the record but shall be sealed and opened only on order of the court. If the defendant is committed to the custody of the Iowa department of corrections and is not a class A felon, a copy of the presentence investigation report shall be forwarded to the director with the order of commitment by the clerk of the district court and to the board of parole at the time of commitment. The defendant or the defendant's attorney may file with the presentence investigation report, a denial or refutation of the allegations, or both, contained in the report. The denial or refutation shall be included in the report. Section 789A.5 of the 1979 Code, which was the predecessor to present section 901.4, expressly provided that disclosure of the presentence investigation report was discretionary with the court, except as to reports of physical or mental examinations which were required to be made available upon request to the State and to the defendant. Under the present statute, § 901.4, disclosure of the report is mandatory only to the extent that [a]t least three days prior to the date set for sentencing, the court shall make all of the presentence investigation report available for inspection to the defendant's attorney, and to the attorney for the state. Under section 901.4, the presentence report is confidential after sentencing, and it shall be sealed and opened only on order of the court. This language suggests that it is discretionary whether the report will be released and, we believe, necessarily requires some showing of need. In the present case, the defendant has not said that he needs the report for a postconviction relief case, or for any other reason. He only stated that he would like to have it. The confidential nature of such a report is further reinforced by the order of this court of June 1, 1982, pertaining to disclosure of the contents of a presentence investigation report in connection with an appeal. That order stated: Pursuant to section 901.4, the Code, this court by order may allow the confidential presentence investigation report to be opened. In the interests of fair and efficient administration of justice, it is hereby ordered by this court en banc that upon the filing of a written stipulation to open the presentence investigation report signed by counsel for all the parties to a criminal appeal, counsel may open and examine the report for the purpose of raising or responding to an issue on appeal. In the present case, the State has refused to stipulate for the release of the presentence investigation report. The district court was clearly within the proper exercise of its discretion in refusing to furnish the report. Accordingly, we affirm. AFFIRMED. All justices concur except HARRIS, J., who concurs in Division II and the result.