Iowa Code § 232.8 — IA Code / Title VI / Chapter 232 / Section 232.8
Jurisdiction.
Status: in_force

(1) (a) The juvenile court has exclusive original jurisdiction in proceedings concerning a child who is alleged to have committed a delinquent act unless otherwise provided by law, and has exclusive original jurisdiction in proceedings concerning an adult who is alleged to have committed a delinquent act prior to having become an adult, and who has been transferred to the jurisdiction of the juvenile court pursuant to an order under section 803.5.

(1) (b) Violations by a child of provisions of chapter 321, 321G, 321I, 453A, 461A, 461B, 462A, 481A, 481B, 483A, 484A, or 484B, which would be simple misdemeanors if committed by an adult, and violations by a child of county or municipal curfew or traffic ordinances, are excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and shall be prosecuted as simple misdemeanors as provided by law. A child convicted of a violation excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under this paragraph shall be sentenced pursuant to section 805.8, where applicable, and pursuant to section 903.1, subsection 3, for all other violations.

(1) (c) Violations by a child, aged sixteen or older, which subject the child to the provisions of section 124.401, subsection 1, paragraph “e” or “f”, or violations of section 723A.2 which involve a violation of chapter 724, or violation of chapter 724 which constitutes a felony, or violations which constitute a forcible felony are excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and shall be prosecuted as otherwise provided by law unless the district court transfers jurisdiction of the child to the juvenile court upon motion and for good cause pursuant to section 803.6. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Code to the contrary, the district court may accept from a child in district court a plea of guilty, or may instruct the jury on a lesser included offense to the offense excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court under this paragraph, in the same manner as regarding an adult. The judgment and sentence of a child in district court shall be as provided in section 901.5. However, the juvenile court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction in a proceeding concerning an offense of animal torture as provided in section 717B.3A alleged to have been committed by a child under the age of seventeen.

(1) (d) The juvenile court shall have jurisdiction in proceedings commenced against a child pursuant to section 236.3 over which the district court has waived its jurisdiction. The juvenile court shall hear the action in the manner of an adjudicatory hearing under section 232.47, subject to the following:

(1) (d) The juvenile court shall abide by the provisions of sections 236.4, 236.6, 236A.6, and 236A.8 in holding hearings and making a disposition.

(1) (d) The plaintiff is entitled to proceed pro se under sections 236.3A and 236.3B.

(1) (e) The juvenile court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in a proceeding concerning a child under the age of eighteen alleged to have committed the offense of harassment in violation of section 708.7, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (5).

(2) (a) A case involving a person charged in a court other than the juvenile court with the commission of a public offense not exempted by law from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court and who is within the provisions of subsection 1 of this section shall immediately be transferred to the juvenile court. The transferring court shall order a transfer and shall forward the transfer order together with all papers, documents, and a transcript of all testimony filed or admitted into evidence in connection with the case to the clerk of the juvenile court. The jurisdiction of the juvenile court shall attach immediately upon the signing of an order of transfer. From the time of transfer, the custody, shelter care, and detention of the person alleged to have committed a delinquent act shall be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the case shall be processed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

(2) (b) Upon completion of the transfer to juvenile court, the court shall file an order dismissing the charge in the transferring court and directing the clerk of court to seal all records of the charge initiated in the transferring court.

(3) (a) The juvenile court, after a hearing and in accordance with the provisions of section 232.45, may waive jurisdiction of a child alleged to have committed a public offense so that the child may be prosecuted as an adult or youthful offender for such offense in another court. If the child pleads guilty or is found guilty of a public offense other than a class “A” felony in another court of this state, that court may suspend the sentence or, with the consent of the child, defer judgment or sentence and, without regard to restrictions placed upon deferred judgments or sentences for adults, place the child on probation for a period of not less than one year upon such conditions as it may require. Upon fulfillment of the conditions of probation, a child who receives a deferred judgment shall be discharged without entry of judgment. A child prosecuted as a youthful offender shall be sentenced pursuant to section 907.3A.

(3) (b) This subsection does not apply in a proceeding concerning an offense of animal torture as provided in section 717B.3A alleged to have been committed by a child under the age of seventeen.

(4) In a proceeding concerning a child who is alleged to have committed a second delinquent act or a second violation excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, the court or the juvenile court shall determine whether there is reason to believe that the child has a behavioral health condition and may be in need of treatment. If the court so determines, the court shall advise appropriate juvenile authorities and refer such offenders to the juvenile court for disposition pursuant to section 232.52A.

(5) (a) Juvenile court services may provide follow-up services for a child adjudicated to have committed a delinquent act upon the child reaching eighteen years of age until the child is twenty-one years of age, if the child and juvenile court services determine the child should remain under the guidance of a juvenile court officer. Follow-up services shall be made available to the child, as necessary, to meet the long-term needs of the child aging into adulthood.

(5) (b) A child who remains under the guidance of juvenile court services under paragraph “a” who is alleged to have committed a subsequent public offense shall be prosecuted as an adult.

(6) Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted as affecting the statutory limitations on prosecutions for murder in the first or second degree.

(7) The supreme court shall prescribe rules under section 602.4202 to resolve jurisdictional and venue issues when juveniles who are placed in another court’s jurisdiction are alleged to have committed subsequent delinquent acts.

[C71, 73, 75, 77, §232.63 – 232.67, 232.72; C79, 81, §232.8]84 Acts, ch 1275, §6; 86 Acts, ch 1186, §1, 2; 87 Acts, ch 149, §1; 88 Acts, ch 1134, §48; 88 Acts, ch 1167, §1; 90 Acts, ch 1251, §23, 24; 91 Acts, ch 240, §9; 92 Acts, ch 1160, §21; 92 Acts, ch 1231, §12; 95 Acts, ch 180, §2; 95 Acts, ch 191, §8; 96 Acts, ch 1134, §1; 97 Acts, ch 126, §11; 2000 Acts, ch 1056, §1; 2000 Acts, ch 1152, §1, 2; 2000 Acts, ch 1232, §57, 58; 2004 Acts, ch 1132, §79; 2009 Acts, ch 41, §263; 2013 Acts, ch 42, §1, 2; 2015 Acts, ch 62, §1; 2017 Acts, ch 117, §1; 2017 Acts, ch 121, §2; 2018 Acts, ch 1153, §3; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §23; 2025 Acts, ch 86, §16