Iowa Misdemeanor

Iowa Felonies
Iowa felonies are arranged differently than any other state. However misdemeanors are arranged in a different manner. Felonies are classified into four categories. Class A Felonies are punishable with life imprisonment without parole. Class B Felonies are punishable via twenty-five years in prison. Class C Felonies hold up to ten years in prison or a fine between ten thousand dollars and one thousand dollars. And a Class D Felony holds up to five years imprisonment or a fine between seventy-five hundred and seven hundred fifty dollars.

Iowa Misdemeanor Classes
In comparison misdemeanors are not given letters but rather titles instead. Misdemeanor classes are decided by the number of subsequent offenses. A first misdemeanor offense is called a Simple Misdemeanor, a second offense is named as a Serious Misdemeanor, and a third offense is called an Aggravated Misdemeanor. After a third offense, the crime is changed to a Class D Felony with imprisonment up to five years and as much as a seventy-five thousand dollar fine.

Simple Misdemeanors
Simple Misdemeanors include jail time of up to thirty days in a county jail facility and a fine between sixty-five dollars and six hundred twenty-five dollars.

Serious Misdemeanors
Serious Misdemeanors fall into the middle category of Iowa misdemeanors. Convictions include up to a year in a county jail and a fine between three hundred fifteen dollars and eighteen hundred seventy-five dollars. This kind of charge also includes substance abuse evaluation, drinking drivers courses, probation, and restitution, if any available. Serious Misdemeanors often include charges in relation to driving while intoxicated.

Aggravated Misdemeanors
An Aggravated Misdemeanor is punishable via two years imprisonment or up to a year in jail with a fine between six hundred twenty-five and six thousand two hundred fifty dollars. In the case of Aggravated Misdemeanors, any conviction or deferred judgment within the twelve years, no matter the state, counts as prior offenses. The number of offenses against an individual increases the fines and the amount of possible imprisonment.

Related Offenses
Some offenses are not classified and include higher courses of imprisonment. These include serious injury by motor vehicle and vehicular homicide. Those crimes hold imprisonments from five years to twenty-five years and fines from seven hundred fifty dollars to ten thousand dollars. Many of these crimes also include restitution that can be as high as one hundred fifty thousand dollars.

Iowa Misdemeanor Expungement
Iowa allows the expungement of prior offenses for only one certain case. This case is that of public intoxication. Unlike other states that allow expungement for different kinds of convictions, Iowa allows the expungement for individual criminal records of this case only.

To have this conviction expunged, the accused must wait two years minimum before the process can begin. This also includes no other simple traffic offense convictions in the waiting process. The accused must then petition the court for expungement of the past conviction. If the accused is found qualified and it is in the favor of the court, a judge will then issue by law that the petition be granted.

See also:
Iowa Felony External link (opens in new window)
Iowa Expungement External link (opens in new window)
Iowa Gun Laws External link (opens in new window)