The Law Lion Logo - AI-powered legal writing assistantThe Law Lion
Home
Features
Pricing
Services
AboutBlogCasesContact
Login
Ask Law Lion AI
  1. Home
  2. >Cases
  3. >State v. Hillman
Supreme Court of Iowa

State v. Hillman

58308·Judge: Moore, Mason, Legrand, Rees, Harris·Attorney: Bertram B. Metcalf, Davenport, for appellant., Richard C. Turner, Atty. Gen., Raymond W. Sullins, Asst. Atty. Gen., Des Moines, Gary L. Sissel, Asst. County Atty., Davenport, for appellee.3 citations

Table of Contents

  • Opinions
  • Opinions
  • 238 N.W.2d 793 (1976) STATE of Iowa, Appellee, v. Frank Porter HILLMAN, Appel...
  • STATE of Iowa, Appellee, v. Frank Porter HILLMAN, Appellant.
  • Supreme Court of Iowa.
  • Affirmed.

Table of Contents

  • Opinions
  • Opinions
  • 238 N.W.2d 793 (1976) STATE of Iowa, Appellee, v. Frank Porter HILLMAN, Appel...
  • STATE of Iowa, Appellee, v. Frank Porter HILLMAN, Appellant.
  • Supreme Court of Iowa.
  • Affirmed.

No summary available for this case.

Opinions

238 N.W.2d 793 (1976)

STATE of Iowa, Appellee,
v.
Frank Porter HILLMAN, Appellant.

No. 58308.

Supreme Court of Iowa.

February 18, 1976.

Bertram B. Metcalf, Davenport, for appellant.

Richard C. Turner, Atty. Gen., Raymond W. Sullins, Asst. Atty. Gen., Des Moines, Gary L. Sissel, Asst. County Atty., Davenport, for appellee.

Submitted to MOORE, C. J., and MASON, LeGRAND, REES and HARRIS, JJ.

REES, Justice.

Defendant was charged by county attorney's information with the crime of breaking and entering in violation of section 708.8, The Code, 1973. He pleaded not guilty, was tried to a jury, convicted and sentenced, and now appeals. We affirm.

Defendant's sole contention in this appeal is that trial court erred in overruling his post-verdict motion for a new trial in which he asserted the court misdirected the jury in a material matter of law by giving an instruction containing the following language:

"* * * A reasonable doubt may arise from the evidence in the case or it may arise from a lack or failure of evidence * * *." (emphasis supplied)

The language above appeared in Instruction No. 8.

I. Defendant contends the emphasized portion of Instruction No. 8 set out above is erroneous because "it permits the jury to consider defendant's failure to produce evidence in deciding if there is reasonable doubt and places upon him the burden of producing evidence or risking the danger of having his failure to do so considered by the jury as overcoming any reasonable doubt which might otherwise exist," and cites State v. Hansen, 225 N.W.2d 343 (Iowa *794 1975), in which case at page 346 we made the foregoing pronouncement.

In its brief and argument the State concedes the italicized portion of Instruction No. 8 was defective under Hansen, but argues the quoted language in Hansen is not controlling since no good and timely objections were made to the instruction.

II. At the close of the evidence, after both parties had rested, and in advance of final arguments by counsel, we find in the record the following colloquy between the court and defendant's counsel:

"THE COURT: Does counsel for the defendant acknowledge he has had reasonable time to make objections to the giving or failing to give of any instruction?
"MR. METCALF: Counsel for the defendant acknowledges that he has had sufficient time to properly consider the instructions.
"THE COURT: Do you have any objections?
"MR. METCALF: Counsel for the defendant has no objections to the proposed instructions, which I assume will become the final instructions.
"THE COURT: That's right."

There is no indication in the record any change was made in the proposed instructions before they were submitted in final form.

III. Defendant expressly waived his right to challenge the defective instruction in a motion for a new trial. We have consistently held the right to attack instructions under Code section 787.3(5) in a motion for a new trial is waived by an earlier express disclaimer of exceptions. State v. Dague, 206 N.W.2d 93, 95 (Iowa 1973); State v. Hartung, 239 Iowa 414, 423-424, 30 N.W.2d 491, 497. See also State v. Brown, 172 N.W.2d 152, 156-160 (Iowa 1969) and citations.

Such an express disclaimer is disclosed by the record in this case.

We find no reversible error after a review of the entire record, and affirm.

Affirmed.

The Law Lion logoThe Law Lion.

The Law Lion is the only platform combining AI legal writing grounded in real case law with an expert human writing service — serving attorneys, paralegals, and everyday people nationwide.

info@thelawlion.com
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm EST · Rush available
Serving Clients Nationwide

AI Tool

  • → AI Legal Writing Tool
  • → AI Document Drafting
  • → Motion Drafting
  • → Contract Drafting
  • → Legal Research
  • → Case Law Search
  • → Citation Generator
  • → Document Review
  • → Contract Review
  • → For Lawyers

Writing Service

  • → Eviction Defense
  • → Court Documents
  • → Custody & Family
  • → Divorce Documents
  • → Debt & Collections
  • → All Writing Services

Top Guides

  • → Eviction Response Guide
  • → Best AI Legal Tools 2026
  • → Debt Validation Letter Guide

Company

  • → About The Law Lion
  • → Client Results
  • → Transparent Pricing
  • → Legal Guides & Blog
  • → Contact & Free Consult
  • → Affiliate Program

Top Services

  • → Eviction Notice Response
  • → Debt Validation Letter
  • → Court Summons Response
© 2026 The Law Lion LLC · AI Legal Writing & Expert Document Service
Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSitemap