Court Opinion

ID: 9535789
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 06:44:05.628944+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:33:20.155981
License: Public Domain

McCORMICK, Justice
(concurring specially).
The question addressed in division I is not what an ideal statute governing search warrant applications should permit but, rather, what our statute in fact requires. Insofar as material here, section 808.3 expressly requires the magistrate to endorse on the application “the abstract of each witness’ testimony, or his or her affidavit.” The problem here is that the magistrate’s abstract was inadequate unless its reference to a contemporaneous tape recording of the witness’ testimony was sufficient to make the contents of the recording part of the abstract.
The problem is not answered by analogy to the requirements of Fed.R.Crim.P. 41(c) which were involved in United States v. *121Mandel, 578 F.2d 668 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, 439 U.S. 964, 99 S.Ct. 450, 58 L.Ed.2d 422 (1978). The federal rule had no provision for abstracting, but it contained a provision specifically dealing with the manner of recording oral testimony. It provided “that such proceeding shall be taken down by a court reporter or recording equipment and made part of the affidavit.” See Fed.R. Crim.P. 41(c) (1972). The decision in Mendel is based on a holding that this provision authorized an untranscribed recording to be incorporated by reference in an affidavit. See 578 F.2d at 671. No such provision exists in section 808.3.
I would rest the decision in division I on the principle of substantial compliance. “[A] thing which is within the intention of the lawmakers is as much within the statute as if it were within the letter. ... ” Sinclair Refining Co. v. Burch, 235 Iowa 594, 596, 16 N.W.2d 359, 361 (1945). Certainly the procedure employed here was within the legislative purpose.
Nevertheless, this problem and other problems in the future could be avoided if section 808.3 were amended to bring it into substantial conformity with Fed.R.Crim.P. 41(e) in its present form. The federal rule includes an amendment which was not applicable in Mendel. In its present form it assures the existence of a record on which the sufficiency of probable cause can be later assessed, but it also provides desirable flexibility concerning the manner in which the record is made and the warrant is issued.