The Iowa Supreme Court decided that if criminal charges are dismissed, the state can't make you pay those court costs. Some saw this as a win for a system that disproportionately burdens low-income Iowans. Some attorneys, however, say a crucial tool was lost that proposed legislation at the Statehouse could bring back.
Alex Kornya, the lawyer who represented the defendant in that Supreme Court case, and Andrew Ritland, a county attorney behind the new bill, join the show to share their views. Then, University of Iowa's Brian Farrell shares how our indigent defense fund contributed to legal deserts in the state. And the executive director of the Iowa County Attorney Association Ian McConeghey talks about the often-overlooked issue of prosecutor shortages.
Guests
- Alex Kornya, litigation director, Legal Aid Justice Center
- Andrew Ritland, legislative chair, Iowa County Attorney Association, Mahaska County Attorney
- Brian Farrell, associate professor of instruction, University of Iowa College of Law
- Ian McConeghey, executive director, Iowa County Attorney Association
