Archive

With the icy weather and cold temperatures invading Iowa, it’s time for another reminder of the whole “O” in the OWI offense. For whatever reason, Iowa has decided to call the “DUI” offense “OWI.”  The law refers to this as both “Operating While Intoxicated” and in the same statute, “Operating While under the Influence.”  So [...]

There are two ways to begin your contact with the court for an Iowa criminal charge, and both are called the Initial Appearance.  (Note, do not confuse this with the Preliminary Hearing, or even the Pretrial Conference, all are very different). The first way to have your Initial Appearance is by being summoned at a [...]

After a defendant is determined to be guilty of a given a offense, whether by plea or trial, a sentencing hearing will be set. Sentencing is where penalties are determined by the court, and is also the point where a conviction would take effect. For lower-level crimes, such as simple misdemeanors, sentencing will usually occur [...]