Most people are familiar with the fact that when a person is arrested, they're read their Miranda rights. This is a common thing that you'll see in all criminal law television shows. However, many Iowa residents get confused when it comes to exactly when an officer...
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Proposed legislation eliminates firearms permit requirement
In early March 2021, a subcommittee in the Iowa House of Representatives advanced House Study Bill 254 on to the full House Public Safety Committee, legislation designed to do away with the law requiring a permit to purchase of carry a firearm in the state. The...
Contesting against the implied consent law
Anyone who operates a motor vehicle in Iowa must adhere to implied consent laws. These laws give authorities the right to ask a motorist to submit to blood, urine or Breathalyzer tests if there is reason to believe that the motorist is under the influence of drugs or...
Standards for proof beyond a reasonable doubt
If an Iowa court is trying a person for a criminal conviction, then the persecution must prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. It is the most challenging type of case to prove, as it is the highest standard of proof required by courts. Non-criminal cases,...
Speak up to stay quiet: asserting your right to remain silent
We've all seen movies and television shows where a person is arrested and is told, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law." This line is not just used for dramatic effect in these films. You do have a...
Will judges and juries be able to identify deepfake evidence?
A deepfake video uses artificial intelligence to alter an image so that it appears to be someone else, or say something else, or depict someone doing something other than what they really were. Done with care, a deepfake can show almost anything you like, and it can...
Major poll says 94% of Americans want criminal justice reform
Weeks of nationwide and global demonstrations after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have had their effect, according to a new AP-NORC poll. The vast majority of Americans now see the need for criminal justice reform. And, a large majority (69%) now says...
How much does it cost to collect all those court fines and fees?
Is assessing fines and fees an effective way to administrate justice? Does doing so result in less crime? Lower recidivism rates? Or does it come down unfairly on the poor? Should communities pay for part of their court administration costs with fines and fees? What...
Misdemeanors make up 80% of all state court dockets
In the wake of the national and international protests over police brutality, especially towards people of color, more attention is being paid to how people of color enter the criminal justice system. One of the major ways is through a low-level misdemeanor offense.In...
States consider the problem of implicit race bias in jury selection
For a jury to be of "your peers," shouldn't it more or less reflect the ethic makeup of the community you live in?The U.S. Supreme Court case of Swain v. Alabama held that prosecutors cannot intentionally exclude African-Americans from juries without violating the...
