Frequently Asked Questions

No.

Charges are filed by the State of Iowa, not the victim.

• It is the decision of the County Attorney to decide how the criminal charges are pursued.
• The victim’s responsibility is one of a witness to a crime.

No. In a criminal case, a victim is not entitled to receive a monetary amount for pain and suffering.

• Contact the Poweshiek County Clerk of Court at 641-623-5644 for more information.
• Issues involving No Contact Orders are handled by the Court.
• You will need to fill out an application so your request will be scheduled for a hearing with the Judge.
• ONLY a Judge can Cancel the Order.

The process can vary greatly. A lesser offense can come to conclusion in as little as a few months, with a more serious offense taking as long as 2 or more years.

• Once the defendant has been sentenced and ordered to pay restitution, they will be required to make monthly payments to the Clerk of Court.
• The Clerk of Court will then mail a check to you (the victim.)
• If the defendant doesn’t pay the Clerk of Court, then there is no money to forward to you.
• If your address changes you will need to contact the County Attorney’s office and the Clerk of Court immediately!

When a peace officer has probable cause to believe a domestic assault has occurred, they are required by law to arrest the person whom they believe to be the primary aggressor.

Domestic violence is a crime.

• Talk with your employer and show them your subpoena.
• Employers are required to give you time to honor your subpoena, however, they are not required to pay you for the time you miss work.
• If you do not appear as ordered, you may be subject to contempt of court proceedings.

• A deposition is an opportunity for the defense attorney to ask questions of the witnesses involved in a case in order to prepare for trial.
• All depositions are taken under oath, normally in a conference room with the county attorney present.
• The defendant may or may not be in attendance.
• There is no judge or jury present for depositions.

A subpoena is a court order for a specific date and time that you are REQUIRED to appear to give testimony regarding a case you are a victim or witness.

It does not mean you have done anything wrong.  It simply means you may have information needed by the court.

A Subpoena is served to you by the Poweshiek County Sheriff’s Office.

• At the sentencing hearing, victims have the right to make a Victim Impact Statement to the Judge.
• The statement should be written out.
• It should include how this crime has affected your life and what changes you have had to make.
• It should also include what you feel is an appropriate punishment.

• Depends greatly on what the defendant is charged with but in general, you can claim losses directly related to the crime committed.
• Only Out-of-Pocket expenses.
• If you have filed an insurance claim, please include that information along with your deductible amount.

• It is possible that NO trial date or sentencing date has been scheduled.
• At the beginning of the case, our office will mail you a Victim Packet in which we ask you to register with our office.
• If you choose not to fill out the registration form and/or return it to our office, you may not get notifications about the case.
• If you have changed phone numbers, email address, or moved – contact the County Attorney’s office immediately at 641-623-5135.
• You can contact the County Attorney’s office at 641-623-5135 to speak with the attorney handling your case.
• The County Attorney’s Office encourages participation from victims, but the County Attorney’s Office represents the State of Iowa, not the victim.

Unfortunately, a trial date being reset is a common occurrence and happens for many different reasons. A common reason is trying to coordinate the schedules of everyone involved in the case (Attorneys, witnesses, judge, and the Court.)

If you have questions about a specific case you are involved in please contact our office at 641-623-5135.