The largest property management company in Iowa City, Apartments Downtown, has filed an appeal with the Iowa Supreme Court asking for a reversal of a July district court ruling that deemed lease provisions used by the landlord illegal and approved a class-action suit filed by former tenants. A district court judge agreed with the former tenants that …
Category: Iowa Legal News
Automated license plate readers coming to Cedar Rapids
There will soon be two squad cars in Cedar Rapids with automatic license plate readers. This means that any plate they drive by will be scanned and will alert them if the car has been stole, the person is wanted for a crime, driving without a license and etc. The goal behind the scanners is …
Iowa City Police Update Arrest Policy After Video Surfaces
The Iowa City Police Department wants to emphasize communication following a video that surfaced of a recent arrest. The controversy began because of a white Police Officer, Travis Graves arrested a black teen with use of alleged excessive force. In the video the office tells the teen to “put his hands behind his back” and …
Iowa Court On Open Container Law
Iowa Court of Appeals rules that having an open container of alcohol inside a vehicle does not violate the open container law when the vehicle is in a private parking lot, because the vehicle must be on a public street or highway for the law to be violated. Hence, evidence of drugs secured as a …
Cedar Rapids going to court to keep traffic cameras
The city of Cedar Rapids has decided to sue the Iowa Department of Transportation to keep their traffic cameras right where they are. The city’s legal staff and Police Chief convinced the mayor to make the decision after providing strong statistical data. The cameras in dispute are located on the S-curve on Interstate 380. The …
Body Cameras: A question of privacy
The Iowa City Police Department and surrounding departments will soon be equipping body cameras for everyday use. The body cameras are being used to hopefully resolve civilian complaints, but some are worried about their privacy. With body cameras being relatively new to police departments there aren’t many rules governing activity and the privacy of people’s …
Cedar Rapids Police Attribute Arrests To Bike Patrols
The Cedar Rapids bike patrols have recently been busier than normal. Last week three arrests in Cedar Rapids were due to the bike patrols. These arrests consisted of burglary, drunk driving, and drug charges. Greg Buelow, Cedar Rapids public safety spokesman said their has been an increased awareness across the country about the advantages of increased bike …
Potential New Rule for Police Body Camera
Police body camera’s have become increasingly more common after the public outcry regarding civilian deaths at the hands of the police. These body cameras have been tested in the Iowa City police department and it has been working on finishing its own policy. The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) has recommended new rules that each department …
New Iowa Supreme Court Ruling
Iowa Supreme Court rules that protected parties do have standing to request relief from no-contact orders in criminal cases. “The fact that a crime victim is not a party to the underlying criminal proceeding does not preclude him or her from asking the court for relief.” … “We conclude protected persons under no-contact orders in …
City Code change would eliminate jail time for simple misdemeanors
Simple misdemeanors such as remaining in a bar after 10 p.m. while underage and Possession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age violations, traffic and disorderly house conduct may be affected in the near future with a City Code change proposal. For some ordinances in Iowa City there is no set punishment in place, so the policy …
Branstad signs bill allowing public records to be erased for those with dismissed charges
Terry Branstad signed 14 bills into law on Friday. One included that public records can now be erased on individuals who had their criminal charges dismissed, or they were acquitted of the crime. This will provide these individual with a better chance to clear their name, as they have stated it can be difficult to …
Gov. Branstad signs 28 bills into law
Read all 28 bills signed at the link below. https://governor.iowa.gov/2015/04/gov-branstad-signs-28-bills-into-law …