Iowa Supreme Court issues a ruling in a case it heard in Decorah

April 8th's Iowa Supreme Court hearing in Decorah (decorahnews.com file photo)

On April 8th, Iowa's Supreme Court came to Decorah High School as part of its effort to show people around the state how the Supreme Court works.  Supreme Court justices heard two cases--one involving Waterloo resident Patience Paye, who was arrested by police in July of 2013 after a breathalyzer test showed she had a blood alcohol reading of 0.260.  But Paye argued that Waterloo Police had no business arresting her because she was standing on the front steps of her house at the time.

Now the Iowa Supreme Court has agreed with Patience Paye.  In their ruling the justices noted that, 12 years ago they had ruled the front steps and common hallway of an apartment house are public places under Iowa's public intoxication statute.  However, the ruling left "for another day any other questions related to the character of the front steps of a single-family home."

The Supreme Court has concluded that the front steps of a single-family home "are not a public place unless the home's residents make them public by extending a general invitation to the public at large to come upon the property."  Justices also ruled that prosecutors failed to prove the defendant in this case extended such an invitation to the public.

The large crowd of Decorah residents who watched the Iowa Supreme Court procedings at Decorah High School in April now know how one of the cases has turned out--police can't arrest someone for being drunk on the front steps of their private home.