State of Iowa v. Troy Thomas Stauffer

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF IOWA

No. 21-1292
Filed January 25, 2023

STATE OF IOWA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,

vs.

TROY THOMAS STAUFFER,
Defendant-Appellant.
________________________________________________________________

Appeal from the Iowa District Court for Muscatine County, Jeffrey D. Bert,

Judge.

Troy Stauffer appeals the agreed-upon sentences imposed pursuant to the

plea agreement. APPEAL DISMISSED.

Thomas Hurd of The Law Office of Thomas Hurd PLC, Des Moines, for

appellant.

Brenna Bird, Attorney General, and Genevieve Reinkoester, Assistant

Attorney General, for appellee.

Considered by Bower, C.J., and Greer and Badding, JJ.
2

BOWER, Chief Judge.

Troy Stauffer pleaded guilty to a number of offenses1 as a result of a global

plea agreement involving four cases. The plea agreement included an agreed

upon sentence, which the district court imposed and repeatedly noted its intent to

follow the plea agreement. On appeal, Stauffer contends the court did not

articulate its reasons for denying him probation. Having failed to show good cause

for his appeal, his appeal is dismissed.

Stauffer is required to show good cause to pursue an appeal after pleading

guilty. See Iowa Code § 814.6(1)(a)(3) (2021). In State v. Damme, our supreme

court interpreted “good cause” as meaning a “legally sufficient reason.” 944

N.W.2d 98, 104 (Iowa 2020). “By definition, a legally sufficient reason is a reason

that would allow a court to provide some relief.” State v. Treptow, 960 N.W.2d 98,

109 (Iowa 2021). Here, the court accepted the plea agreement and sentenced

Stauffer in accordance with the agreed-upon sentence. “Under these

circumstances, the purpose of a statement of reasons for imposition of the

sentence would serve no practical purpose.”2 State v. Snyder, 336 N.W.2d 728,

729 (Iowa 1983). Stauffer got what he bargained for—he has not established good

cause to appeal. See State v. Thompson, 951 N.W.2d 1, 2 (Iowa 2020)

(recognizing Damme only established good cause to challenge sentencing

1 Stauffer pleaded guilty to domestic-abuse assault impeding airflow causing injury
and assault causing bodily injury (FECR062827), third-degree burglary
(FECR063576), eluding (AGCR062840), and fourth-degree criminal mischief
(SRCR063163).
2 In any event, the court did state reasons for the sentence—“the plea agreement

of the parties, the ongoing pattern of law violations shown by the record, the need
to protect the community and the victims, and general deterrence.”
3

following a guilty plea when the sentence imposed “was neither mandatory nor

agreed to in the plea bargain”). The appeal must be dismissed.

APPEAL DISMISSED.