Idaho Supreme Court - Criminal Decisions

Justia Opinion Summary: Officers from the Boise Police Department arrested Eduardo Plata Iniguez (“Plata”) outside his home for misdemeanor driving under the influence (“DUI”) without a warrant, and without witnessing the commission of the…

Justia Opinion Summary: Darin Ogden appealed his conviction for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. During a consensual encounter, officers searched Ogden’s vehicle outside of a business and arrested Ogden for felony…

Justia Opinion Summary: Kirby Dorff appealed the denial of his motion to suppress evidence obtained after a police drug-sniffing dog jumped onto the exterior surface of his vehicle. Dorff argued the dog’s contact with his vehicle was a…

Justia Opinion Summary: Following a jury trial, Travis Leavitt was convicted for statutory rape of a 17-year-old girl. He was 34 years old at the time of the incident. After the trial had begun, the State disclosed new evidence regarding…

Justia Opinion Summary: In April 2018, a teller working at CapEd Credit Union called the Boise Police Department to report a suspicious situation: a man came into the credit union, made a large cash deposit, exited the building, and then…

Justia Opinion Summary: Defendant-appellant Diwakar Singh was convicted for felony domestic violence. Prior to Singh’s trial, the State identified an error in the preliminary hearing transcript. The district court, citing its inherent authority…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jonathan Hernandez pled guilty to second-degree murder. He petitioned for post-conviction relief, arguing his trial counsel was ineffective for promising Hernandez he would not receive a sentence of more than ten to…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jorge Rodriquez was convicted of domestic battery with traumatic injury in the presence of a child. His first trial ended with a hung jury. In the second trial, the jury found Rodriquez guilty of the charge. The district…

Justia Opinion Summary: Wayne Marsh was detained by police after an informant reported witnessing an attempted burglary and described him to dispatch as one of the two suspects. During the investigatory detention that ensued, police discovered…

Justia Opinion Summary: Prior to voir dire in George Cuenca’s trial for aggravated battery, taking place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the district court ordered that everyone in the courtroom would wear masks, including witnesses.…

Justia Opinion Summary: Gilberto Roman-Lopez was convicted by jury on two counts of sexual abuse of a child and three counts of lewd conduct with a minor. Roman-Lopez argued the Idaho Supreme Court should vacate his judgment and remand for a…

Justia Opinion Summary: In 2021, Paul Greer pleaded guilty to felony domestic battery and was sentenced to a prison term of not less than two and not more than seven years. He appealed, arguing the district court abused its discretion when it:…

Justia Opinion Summary: Plaintiff-appellant Robert Stark appealed the dismissal of his petition for post-conviction relief. Stark alleged his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance for failing to file a motion to suppress the contents of…

Justia Opinion Summary: Jessie Adams appealed an order to pay $15,053.49 in restitution stemming from his conviction of petit theft. The State charged Adams with two separate counts of grand theft. A jury found Adams guilty of the first charge…

Justia Opinion Summary: Chad Schiermeier appealed the summary disposition of his petition for post-conviction relief. In 2017, Schiermeier was charged and convicted of one count of grand theft for stealing money from the Blaine County Sheriff’s…