Court Opinion

ID: 9377663
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-03-08 16:05:01.908133+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:17:15.390582
License: Public Domain

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF IOWA

                                 No. 21-1215
                             Filed March 8, 2023

STATE OF IOWA,
     Plaintiff-Appellee,

vs.

SYLVIA EVA CASTILLO,
     Defendant-Appellant.
________________________________________________________________

      Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County, Patrick H. Tott,

Judge.

      Sylvia Eva Castillo appeals from a guilty plea. APPEAL DISMISSED.

      Michael J. Jacobsma of Jacobsma Law Firm, P.C., Orange City, for

appellant.

      Brenna Bird, Attorney General, and Israel Kodiaga, Assistant Attorney

General, for appellee.

      Considered by Bower, C.J., Badding, J., and Vogel, S.J.*

      *Senior judge assigned by order pursuant to Iowa Code section 602.9206

(2023).
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BOWER, Chief Judge.

       In August 2021, pursuant to a plea agreement, Sylvia Eva Castillo pleaded

guilty to introduction of a controlled substance into a detention facility. 1 Castillo’s

written plea included the following paragraphs:

               13. I have been advised and know that I may plead not guilty
       to said charge(s). Before the court can accept my plea, the court
       must be satisfied that I understand my constitutional rights. I
       understand that I am entitled to enter a plea of not guilty and persist
       in that plea. If I plead not guilty, I would be entitled to:
                       a. A speedy and public trial by jury.
                       b. A unanimous verdict before I can be found guilty by
               the jury.
                       c. An attorney to represent me at all proceedings; and
               if the court determined that I could not afford an attorney, one
               would be appointed to represent me at State expense.
                       d. The privilege against self-incrimination; I do not have
               to testify at my trial, unless I want to, and my refusal to testify
               could not be commented on by the prosecution nor
               considered against me by the jury.
                       e. The presumption of innocence; at trial I would be
               presumed innocent until such a time, if ever, as the State
               established my guilt beyond a reasonable doubt by producing
               competent evidence.
                       f. Confrontation and cross-examination of witnesses on
               whose testimony the State relies to obtain a conviction.
                       g. Calling witnesses in my own behalf and the right to
               subpoena them (compulsory process) to secure their
               attendance.
                       h. The right to have my case tried to a judge instead of
               a jury if I choose.
               14. I understand that if I proceed with my plea of guilty, I have
       waived all of the above rights with exception of my right to counsel
       at these or any later proceedings and I will not have a trial.
               ....
               17. I understand that I have no right of appeal of a guilty plea.
       However, if I allege good cause and/or a defect in this plea
       proceeding, or improper denial of a motion in arrest of judgment, I

1Castillo’s written guilty plea was originally submitted for filing on August 2, 2021,
but was rejected by the clerk of court due to a filing error. But the district court was
able to view the document in a “Documents Filed / Not Processed” section of
EDMS at the time the plea was accepted. In May 2022, the district court granted
a motion to correct the record to add Castillo’s written plea to the appellate record.
                                             3

         have [thirty] days to file a written Application for Permission to Appeal
         and an Application to Authorize a Transcript to be Prepared at State
         Expense.        The appellate courts will determine whether my
         application is granted or denied or under what conditions it will
         proceed, if any.
                  18. I understand that if I determine to appeal the
         sentence/judgment, a written notice of appeal must be filed within
         [thirty] days. I further understand that a plea of guilty with an agreed-
         upon sentence may be subject to the Application for Permission to
         Appeal requirement procedure mentioned above.
                  19. I have discussed all possible legal defenses with my
         attorney, and I know of no legal defense to the charge.
                  20. KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING ALL OF MY
         RIGHTS AND HAVING HAD THEM FULLY EXPLAINED TO ME, I
         PLEAD GUILTY AS SET OUT ABOVE.
                  21. I understand that if I wish to challenge this Plea of Guilty,
         I must do so by filing a Motion in Arrest of Judgment at least five (5)
         days prior to the court imposing sentence, but no more than [forty-
         five] days from today’s date. I understand that by asking the court to
         impose sentence immediately that I waive my right to challenge the
         Plea of Guilty which I have hereby entered.
                  22. I understand that I have the right to the preparation of a
         presentence investigation report and a delay of at least [fifteen] days
         between the date this plea is entered and the date of sentencing. I
         further understand that if I am sentenced immediately, I lose my right
         to challenge any defect in this plea or plea proceeding by motion in
         arrest of judgment and appeal to a higher court. Knowing the above,
         I request the court to sentence me immediately.

         The court accepted Castillo’s plea and sentenced her on August 2. Castillo

did not file a motion in arrest of judgment or an application for permission to

appeal.2

2   The court explained in its judgment and sentence:
         [I]f you allege good cause and/or a defect in this plea proceeding or
         improper denial of a motion in arrest of judgment, you have [thirty]
         days to file a written Application for Permission to Appeal and an
         Application to Authorize a Transcript to be Prepared at State
         Expense.      The appellate courts will determine whether your
         application is granted or denied or under what conditions it will
         proceed, if any.
                                         4

       Castillo appeals, asserting her plea was not made voluntarily, knowingly,

and intelligently because her written plea did not adequately advise Castillo of the

jury trial rights she was waiving—specifically that she would take part in the

selection of twelve jurors drawn from a fair cross-section of the community.

       Iowa Code section 814.6 (2021) provides, “Right of appeal is granted the

defendant from [a] final judgment of sentence, except in the following cases: . . . A

conviction where the defendant has pled guilty. This subparagraph does not apply

. . . in a case where the defendant establishes good cause.” The statute does not

define good cause, but our supreme court has explained it is a “legally sufficient

reason,” the determination of which is context-specific. State v. Tucker, 959

N.W.2d 140, 153 (Iowa 2021). As the defendant who pled guilty, Castillo “bears

the burden of establishing good cause to pursue an appeal of her conviction based

on a guilty plea.” State v. Damme, 944 N.W.2d 98, 104 (Iowa 2020) (finding good

cause exists to challenge a sentencing error arising after the court has accepted a

guilty plea).

       The supreme court has declined to expand the concept of good cause to

include claims “that a plea is not intelligently or voluntarily made.” Tucker, 959

N.W.2d at 153. Instead, the Tucker court held, “A legally sufficient reason to

appeal as a matter of right is a reason that, at minimum, would allow a court to

provide some relief on direct appeal.” Id. Because failure to file a motion in arrest

of judgment precludes appellate relief, we cannot provide Castillo relief on direct

appeal. See id.

       “[T]hose who plead guilty have acknowledged their guilt and waived their

constitutional rights so the need for appellate review is not necessary in the same
                                           5

way as it is after trial.” State v. Treptow, 960 N.W.2d 98, 105 (Iowa 2021).

Castillo’s guilty plea clearly laid out the rights she was waiving as part of her guilty

plea, the need for a motion in arrest of judgment or application for permission to

appeal, and the effect of her written plea and immediate sentencing on her right of

appeal. Castillo did not file a motion in arrest of judgment or application for

permission to appeal, she has not established good cause to pursue her appeal

as a matter of right, and we dismiss the appeal. See Tucker, 959 N.W.2d at 154.

       APPEAL DISMISSED.