Iowa legal term
Emotionally dependent in Iowa Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Iowa legislative session
In Iowa criminal law, “Emotionally dependent” 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 “Emotionally dependent” mean in Iowa criminal law?
“Emotionally dependent” means that the nature of the patient’s or client’s or former patient’s or client’s emotional condition or the nature of the treatment provided by the counselor or therapist is such that the counselor or therapist knows or has reason to know that the patient or client or former patient or client is significantly impaired in the ability to withhold consent to sexual conduct, as described in subsection 2, by the counselor or therapist. (Iowa Code § 709.15)
Statutes defining or using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.