Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure – 2026
Chapter 2 of the Iowa Court Rules, rewritten in full effective July 1, 2023. Coverage runs from proceedings before the magistrate, the grand jury, indictments and informations, arraignment and plea, pretrial motions and discovery, through trial, verdict, judgment and sentencing, to post-conviction procedure, appeals and the simple misdemeanor rules. The chapter's forms are listed by title.
Browse all 70 rules of the 2026 edition below. Each rule includes the full text, a plain-English summary, committee notes, amendment history, and cross-references to related rules. Use the search box to find rules by keyword or number.
Indictable Offenses
Rule 2.1
Scope of rules
Rule 2.2
Proceedings before the magistrate
Rule 2.3
Grand jury
Rule 2.4
Indictment
Rule 2.5
Information
Rule 2.6
Multiple offenses or defendants; pleading special matters
Rule 2.7
Warrants and summonses
Rule 2.8
Arraignment and plea
Rule 2.9
Trial assignments
Rule 2.10
Plea bargaining
Rule 2.11
Pleadings and motions
Rule 2.12
Suppression of unlawfully obtained evidence
Rule 2.13
Depositions
Rule 2.14
Discovery
Rule 2.15
Subpoenas
Rule 2.16
Pretrial conference
Rule 2.17
Trial by jury or court
Rule 2.18
Juries
Rule 2.19
Trial
Rule 2.20
Witnesses
Rule 2.21
Evidence
Rule 2.22
Verdict
Rule 2.23
Judgment
Rule 2.24
Motions after trial
Rule 2.25
Reserved
Rule 2.26
Execution of judgment and stay thereof
Rule 2.27
Presence of the defendant; regulation of conduct by the court
Rule 2.28
Right to appointed counsel
Rule 2.29
Withdrawal and duty of continuing representation
Rule 2.30
Reserved
Rule 2.31
Compensation of appointed appellate counsel
Rule 2.32
Forms — Appointment of Counsel
Rule 2.33
Dismissal of prosecutions; right to speedy trial
Rule 2.34
Reserved
Rule 2.35
Reserved
Rule 2.36
Forms for search and arrest warrants
Rule 2.37
Forms other than warrants
Rule 2.51
Scope of rules and definitions
Rule 2.52
Applicability of indictable offense rules
Rule 2.53
To whom tried
Rule 2.54
The complaint
Rule 2.55
Contents of the complaint
Rule 2.56
Approval of the complaint
Rule 2.57
Arrest warrant
Rule 2.58
Appearance of the defendant
Rule 2.59
Verification of complaint
Rule 2.60
Advice of rights at the initial appearance
Rule 2.61
Appointment of counsel
Rule 2.62
Bail
Rule 2.63
Plea
Rule 2.64
Trial
Rule 2.65
Pretrial matters
Rule 2.66
Joint trials
Rule 2.67
Forfeiture of collateral in lieu of appearance
Rule 2.68
Change of venue
Rule 2.69
Selection of jury; trial
Rule 2.70
Judgment
Rule 2.71
Prior convictions
Rule 2.72
Appeals
Rule 2.73
Motion for a new trial
Rule 2.74
Correction or reduction of sentence
Rule 2.75
Reserved
Rule 2.76
Forms
Rule 2.80
Expungement of dismissed cases or acquittals
Rule 2.81
Expungement of eligible misdemeanor convictions
Rule 2.82
Expungement of public intoxication, possession of alcohol under the legal age, and certain prostitution cases
Rule 2.83
Expungement proceedings
Rule 2.84
When expungement is granted
Rule 2.85
Confidential record of expunged misdemeanors
Rule 2.86
Forms