Iowa legal term
Debt bondage in Iowa Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Iowa legislative session
In Iowa criminal law, “Debt bondage” 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 “Debt bondage” mean in Iowa criminal law?
“Debt bondage” means the status or condition of a debtor arising from a pledge of the debtor’s personal services or a person under the control of a debtor’s personal services as a security for debt if the reasonable value of such services is not applied toward the liquidation of the debt or the length and nature of those services are not respectively limited and defined. 3. “Forced labor or services” means labor or services that are performed or provided by another person and that are obtained or maintained through any of the following: a. (Iowa Code § 710A.1)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.