There is no mistaking that there are more mass shootings in America than ever before. It seems that almost every month, some violent act makes…
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State of Gun Laws in Iowa in 2019
Blog Posts & Articles
Nursing home operator won’t be prosecuted for abuse for fear of closing facility
Criminal prosecutors have dropped felony abuse charges against an Iowa nursing home operator, arguing that his conviction would have harmed the facility’s residents.
Des Moines County Attorney Amy Beavers said if she pursued the prosecution of Marc Johnson, whose company runs the Danville Care Center in southeast Iowa, the facility might have been forced to close, displacing its three-dozen residents….
Drug Crimes in Iowa – Changing Minimum Mandatory Sentences
2017 House File 579 seeks to change the criminal penalties for cocaine possession, modifies minimum mandatory sentences for drug offenses, establishes a standard sentence to…
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State dismisses all Cass County charges against Denison Police Officer Bradley Wendt
From The Smart Shopper Denison Published on December 6, 2016 All charges lodged by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) against Denison Police Officer…
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Violations of the No-Contact Order
If you are subject to a no-contact order as a part of your pre-trial release or as a condition of probation, then you should know…
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Interference With Official Acts — Jailers
One of the new crimes passed in Iowa in 2016 is Senate File 2115 for “Interference With Official Acts — Jailers.” The Act relates to interference…
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Expunction of Records for Alcohol Crimes in Iowa
One of the laws passed in 2016 in Iowa provides for the expungement of a record for “Public Intoxication” and “Alcohol Consumption” offenses under Senate…
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Probation in Iowa
After a judgment of conviction has been or may be entered, the court can sentence a person to probation. As provided in Iowa Code §907.1(5), the…
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What are the penalties for a misdemeanor in Iowa?
During the initial consultation, our clients often ask “Is my charge a misdemeanor? What are the potential penalties?” Under Iowa Code §903.1, misdemeanors are classified…
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Satanism and Guilt-Free Murder in Iowa
On the evening of July 18, 2013, Kathy Barlas returned to her home in Mason City, Iowa, to find her adult son waiting in the garage in his underwear, dripping with blood. “Mom, I killed Satan,” Tom Barlas Jr. said to his mother. Did he mean he hurt the dog? “No, Mom, I killed Satan,” he repeated. Kathy entered the house, heading toward her bedroom where she found her husband, Tom Barlas Sr., lifeless on the floor, bleeding from multiple stab wounds. He was dead…