Iowa Code 232.35 – Filing of petition
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1. A formal judicial proceeding to determine whether a child has committed a delinquent act shall be initiated by the filing by the county attorney of a petition alleging that a child has committed a delinquent act. After a petition has been filed, service of a summons requiring the child to appear before the court or service of a notice shall be made as provided in section 232.37.
Attorney's Note
Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Aggravated misdemeanor | up to 2 years | between $855 and $8,540 |
Terms Used In Iowa Code 232.35
- Adult: means a person other than a child. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Child: includes but shall not be limited to a stepchild, foster child, or legally adopted child and means a child actually or apparently under eighteen years of age, and a dependent person eighteen years of age or over who is unable to maintain the person's self and is likely to become a public charge. See Iowa Code 252A.2
- Child: means any person under the age of eighteen years. See Iowa Code 232.68
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Complaint: means an oral or written report which is made to the juvenile court by any person and alleges that a child is within the jurisdiction of the court. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Delinquent act: means :a. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Intake: means the preliminary screening of complaints by an intake officer to determine whether the court should take some action and if so, what action. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Intake officer: means a juvenile court officer or other officer appointed by the court to perform the intake function. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Petition: means a pleading the filing of which initiates formal judicial proceedings in the juvenile court. See Iowa Code 232.2
- Summons: Another word for subpoena used by the criminal justice system.
2. If the intake officer determines that a complaint is legally sufficient for the filing of a petition alleging that a child has committed a delinquent act and that the filing of a petition would be in the best interests of the child and the community, the officer shall submit a written request for the filing of a petition to the county attorney. The county attorney may grant or deny the request of the intake officer for the filing of a petition. A determination by the county attorney that a petition should not be filed shall be final.3. If the intake officer determines that a complaint is not legally sufficient for the filing of a petition or that the filing of a petition would not be in the best interests of the child and the community, the officer shall notify the complainant of the officer’s determination and the reasons for such determination, and shall advise the complainant that the complainant may submit the complaint to the county attorney for review. Upon receiving a request for review, the county attorney shall consider the facts presented by the complainant, consult with the intake officer and make the final determination as to whether a petition should be filed. In the absence of a request by the complainant for a review of the intake officer’s determination that a petition should not be filed, the officer’s determination shall be final, and the intake officer shall inform the county attorney of this decision concerning complaints involving allegations of acts which, if committed by an adult, would constitute an aggravated misdemeanor or a felony.