Iowa legal term
Charge in Iowa Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Iowa legislative session
In Iowa criminal law, “Charge” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Iowa criminal code.
What does “Charge” mean in Iowa criminal law?
“Charge” means a written statement presented to a court accusing a person of the commission of a public offense, including but not limited to a complaint, information, or indictment. 4. “Complaint” means a statement in writing, under oath or affirmation, made before a magistrate or district court clerk or clerk’s designee as the case may be, of the commission of a public offense, and accusing someone of committing the public offense. (Iowa Code § 801.4)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
- Criminal transmission of a contagious or infectious disease
- Dependent adult abuse initiation of charges penalty
- Escape or absence from custody
- Persons under eighteen
- Wanton neglect or nonsupport of a dependent adult
- Bigamy
- Consumption or intoxication in public places
- Extortion
- Lotteries and lottery tickets
- Order to return to foreign nation
- Permitting prisoner to escape
- Use of unmanned aerial vehicle prohibitions
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.