Justia Idaho Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Petitioner-Appellant Zane Jack Fields was incarcerated for the 1988 first degree murder of Mary Katherine Vanderford. The district court dismissed his petition for post-conviction relief in 2010, the fifth successive petition for post-conviction relief he filed. In the latest petition, Petitioner argued that the act of destroying an orange camouflage coat (introduced into evidence as a defense exhibit and used by eyewitnesses to identify him) was new evidence that established his innocence. The State moved to dismiss on grounds that Petitioner's newly discovered evidence claims were time-barred by statute, and the district court granted the motion. Upon review, the Supreme Court concluded that the district court was correct in finding Petitioner's petition was untimely filed, and affirmed. View "Fields v. Idaho" on Justia Law

This case arose from a district court's review on appeal of a magistrate court's decision regarding the civil forfeiture of a motorcycle and other items that belong to Christopher Rubey. In 2009, Rubey was arrested and charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Subsequently, the Ada County Prosecutor's Office (State) brought an action under I.C. 37-2744 for civil forfeiture of the motorcycle and related items used in the alleged crime. The magistrate court granted summary judgment to the State, and the district court reversed and remanded that decision. The State appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that the district court erred in its decision and that the legislative intent behind I.C. 37-2744(a)(4) supports civil forfeiture for either the transportation or trafficking of drugs. Upon review, the Supreme Court agreed and affirmed the district court's decision. View "Ada Co Prosecuting Atty v. 2007 Legendary Motorcycle" on Justia Law

Defendant-Appellant Robert Barton, Jr. was found guilty by jury of solicitation of perjury. Defendant, the victim of aggravated battery, was charged with solicitation and conspiracy to commit perjury in connection to his testimony in the battery case. On appeal, Defendant argued that the jury should have been instructed on his defense of entrapment, and that such a defense was consistent with his plea of innocence. The State disagreed, arguing that no reasonable view of the evidence would support an instruction for entrapment and that such a defense is incompatible with his plea of innocence. Upon review, the Supreme Court found that the district court did not err when it refused to instruct the jury on the affirmative defense of entrapment, and affirmed the decision. View "Idaho v. Barton, Jr." on Justia Law

The issue before the Supreme Court on appeal in this case related to attorney fees incurred in litigation arising from a construction contract for a custom cabin in Island Park, Idaho. There were two issues: (1) whether the district court erred in holding that the Maglebys were entitled to recover only $2,500 from defaulting parties by operation of I.R.C.P. 54(e)(4); and (2) whether the district court erred in its decision regarding the Maglebys' entitlement to post-judgment attorney fees. Upon review, the Supreme Court concluded that I.R.C.P. 54(e)(4) did not limit the Maglebys' fees to the $2,500 pled in their complaint even though defendants did not contest them. The Court vacated the judgments of the district court as they related to attorney fees awards in light of I.C. sec. 12-120(5) and "ITP" and "Jenks." The case was remanded for further proceedings. View "Magleby v. Garn" on Justia Law

Petitioner-Appellant Randall Bottum appealed a district court order which held that a 2009 amendment to the sex offender registration law applied to him. Prior to the amendment, Petitioner could have petitioned the court to be exempted, but the amendment foreclosed that opportunity. Upon review of the district court order, the Supreme Court found that the 2009 amendment applied to Petitioner and affirmed the district court order. View "Bottum v. Idaho State Police" on Justia Law

Pro se plaintiff Martin Bettwieser brought a breach of contract action against the New York Irrigation District and its directors (collectively, the District). Bettwieser alleged that the District breached an oral contract by not timely providing him with a legal opinion regarding whether he could be excluded from the irrigation district without paying statutory exclusion and filing fees. Following a bench trial, the district court issued findings of fact and conclusions of law, ruling that Bettwieser had failed to demonstrate that he was entitled to relief. Bettwieser appealed, alleging the district court made errors of fact and law during the trial and in its decisions regarding Bettwieser's pre- and post-trial motions. As a preliminary matter, the Supreme Court noted that Bettwieser's briefing was, "at best, difficult to follow. In some cases, it is unclear what issue Bettwieser is attempting to raise. And, even where an issue is identifiable, argument, authority, and legal reasoning are often absent." The Court concluded that the district court's findings of fact and conclusions of law were supported by substantial competent evidence. Bettwieser failed to satisfy the requirements for certification of a class action. The district court was not obligated to consider claims not raised by the pleadings. The district court did not abuse its discretion in denying Bettwieser's motion to disqualify counsel. Bettwieser was not entitled to declaratory judgment because he failed to demonstrate the existence of an actual or justiciable controversy. View "Bettwieser v. New York Irrigation Dist." on Justia Law

In 2006, Woodrow John Grant pleaded guilty to aggravated battery; he successfully completed a period of retained jurisdiction and was placed on probation. In 2009, Grant was charged with possession of methamphetamine, domestic battery, aggravated assault, and unlawful possession of a firearm. Grant's appointed counsel moved to withdraw, stating that Grant had reneged on an agreed-upon plea bargain and that communications between them had broken down. The district court denied the motion. Later, Grant pled guilty to possession of a controlled substance and domestic battery, and admitted to violating the terms of his probation. The district court considered a letter and live testimony from the victim of Grant's domestic battery, in which the victim expressed her opinions on Grant's crime, character, and the sentence that would be proper for him. Thereafter, the district court sentenced Grant to five years fixed and five years indeterminate for domestic battery, to be served concurrently with a sentence of two years fixed and three years indeterminate for possession of methamphetamine. The district court revoked Grant's probation and executed his previously suspended sentence of four years fixed and six years indeterminate. The two new sentences were to be served consecutively to the reinstated 2006 sentence. Grant requested leniency in three I.C.R. 35 motions, which the district court denied. Grant appealed, arguing that the district court erred by refusing to allow his counsel to withdraw, by considering the victim's impact statements in their entirety, and by refusing his requests for leniency. Finding no error, the Supreme Court affirmed the district court in all respects. View "Idaho v. Grant" on Justia Law

In 2011, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (the Department) initiated this action to terminate the parental rights of John Doe. The matter proceeded to trial where the magistrate court found that Doe had neglected and abandoned his minor child, D.C., and that it was in the best interest of the child that Doe's parental rights be terminated. Doe appealed and the Supreme Court affirmed: Doe failed to show that the magistrate erred in finding that he had abandoned D.C. "Even if the Department failed to implement the case plan in an appropriate fashion, the magistrate's finding of neglect was supported on a prong of neglect essentially independent of case plan performance. Doe has made no effort to show that it is not in the best interest of D.C. to terminate Doe's parental rights. There are no grounds to reverse the termination order." View "Health & Welfare v. Doe" on Justia Law

Michelle Anderson appealed the district court's denial of her motion to dismiss kidnapping charges brought against her for keeping the child she had with Ricky Anderson away. Michelle was obligated to deliver the child to Ricky under a parenting plan issued by a Montana court, but never completed the exchange. In her motion to dismiss, Michelle argued that Ricky is not a custodial parent under I.C. 18-4501 and therefore Michelle could not have committed kidnapping. The district court denied the motion, and the Supreme Court granted permission to appeal that decision. Upon review, the Supreme Court concluded that Ricky was a custodial parent for the purposes of IC 18-4501(2), and that Michelle could be charged with kidnapping based on Ricky's visitation rights that granted him lawful care and control of the child. Accordingly, the Court affirmed the district court's decision. View "Idaho v. Anderson" on Justia Law

Justin S. Reynolds, Kristine Reynolds, and their construction company, Sunrise Development, LLC (Reynolds) brought a malpractice action against their law firm, Trout Jones Gledhill Fuhrman, P.A., and its attorney-employee, David T. Krueck. Reynolds alleged professional negligence in both the drafting of a real estate agreement between Reynolds and Quasar Development, LLC, and in the subsequent handling of the litigation regarding that agreement. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of Trout Jones, holding that the two-year statute of limitations found in Idaho Code section 5-219(4) applied to bar the action and Reynolds timely appealed. Upon review of the matter, the Supreme Court affirmed. View "Reynolds v. Trout, Jones, Gledhill, Fuhrman, P.A." on Justia Law