Iowa City is a city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2008 census estimate, the city had a total population of 67,831 making it the fifth-largest city in Iowa. It is the county seat of Johnson County and the home of the University of Iowa. It is located adjacent to Coralville and surrounds University Heights, with which it forms a contiguous urban area. It is the principal city of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Johnson and Washington counties and has a population of 149,437. Iowa City was the second capital of the Iowa Territory and the first capital of the State of Iowa. The Old Capitol building is a National Historic Landmark and stands as a tourist attraction in the center of the University of Iowa campus as well as being an integral part of the university's Pentacrest. The University of Iowa Art Museum and Plum Grove, home of the first governor of Iowa, are other tourist attractions. In 2008, Forbes Magazine named Iowa City the second Best Small Metropolitan Area for doing business in the United States.

What is criminal defense law?

In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").

Answers to criminal defense law issues in Iowa

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says that you have a right to be free of unreasonable police searches and...

The general criteria for making an arrest is what is referred to as probable cause. Probable cause arises when there...

There are two different types of warrants that may be issued:

  • arrest warrants - an order issued by a...

The Miranda decision relates specifically to the rights of a criminal suspect after he has been detained by the...

Bail is typically set by a magistrate or a judge who considers the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood of...

Early in the course of a criminal proceeding, the defendant will be brought into court and the charges brought...

At any point during this process the defendant may plead guilty to the charge leveled against him or her. Likewise,...

Criminal offenses can be divided into two general categories:

  • ­felonies -- a crime for which a person...

The distinguishing feature of criminal law is the element of punishment. The purpose of criminal law is to punish...

There are several defenses that can be raised in a criminal case. The defenses listed here are a sampling of those...