Expungement

You may use these forms to request an expungement of the records of convictions for Public Intoxication, PAULA (Possession of Alcohol Under Legal Age), and cases in which all charges were dismissed or you were found not guilty. If the conviction was in a county other than Johnson County, Iowa, you should replace the address for the Johnson Country Clerk of Court with the address of the clerk for the county in which the conviction was entered. Please note, if you were represented by an attorney in your case, and the case was filed electronically, you will be required to register and file your request electronically here.  

You may only expunge a conviction for public intoxication or PAULA if you have not had another criminal (not traffic) conviction within 2 years after the date of the order of conviction. If you have a case where you were found not guilty or all charges were dismissed, you normally must wait 6 months before expungement, but in special circumstances this requirement may be waived. Please contact SLS for additional information.

If you have any questions about how to complete these forms, please contact Student Legal Services at (319) 335-3276 or another Attorney. These resources are not a substitute for legal advice.

Attorney Referral List

The attorney referral list contains the contact information for law offices that have expressed interest in obtaining referrals from Student Legal Services. Student Legal Services does not recommend the employment of any particular attorney. Please refer to "Choosing and Working with a Lawyer" below before retaining the services of an attorney. 

Renting and Landlords

Please visit our Rental Guide for more complete information, but here are a few particularly useful resources. Do not use the Sample Roommate Agreement without first getting professional legal advice. 

Check out this video for more tips for renters!

Housing Inspector Request

Housing Inspector Request

Iowa Code

Want to know exactly what the law says in Iowa? Find the up-to-date Iowa Code here.

Paying fines on-line

Want to know how to pay a fine on-line? Click here to find out.

Case Numbers

Don't know your case number? Look it up at Iowa Courts Online.

Just enter your name under "Name Search," and find the right case. You can also narrow your search by county and case type.

Information About Deferred Judgments

Charged with a crime and curious about a deferred judgment? Click here.

Information About The Marijuana Diversion Program

Charged with possession of marijuana and curious about diversion? Click here.

Additional Campus Resources

Additional Iowa City Resources

State of Iowa Resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

21 & Under Exempt Ordinance

Related Navigation

Attorney Referral List

The attorney referral list contains the contact information for law offices that have expressed interest in obtaining referrals from Student Legal Services. Student Legal Services does not recommend the employment of any particular attorney. Attorney Referral List

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Deferred Judgments

Information Regarding Deferred Judgments for University of Iowa Students:

This general information is not intended as legal advice. If you have a question about a specific legal issue, contact student legal services or another attorney. A deferred judgment is a sentencing option under Iowa Law that allows a judge to withhold finding a defendant guilty and place the defendant on probation for a period of time. The judge may place any number of conditions on that probation.

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Johnson County Marijuana Diversion Program

Johnson County Marijuana Diversion ProgramThis is not intended as legal advice for any specific situation, but rather as a general overview of the Johnson County Marijuana Diversion Program. For questions about a specific situation, Student Legal Services recommends that you contact us or an attorney of your choosing. Unlike some neighboring states, possessing marijuana in Iowa is still very much a criminal offense. If you are caught with marijuana in Iowa, you will be taken to jail.   There is normally a 2 day minimum jail sentence required for anyone convicted of possessing marijuana.

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Paying Fines

Warning: Before you pay a fine online, be aware that by paying a fine in a case where you haven't entered a plea, you are pleading guilty!

If you are not certain you want to plead guilty, talk to a lawyer before paying a fine. Directions for Online Payment of Court Fines (Iowa)

Option 1

Go to www. iowacourts. gov
Under the drop-down menu  "How do I. . . " select "pay a fine"
Click on the box entitled "Pay Fines Online.

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Sample Roommate Agreement

Sample Roommate Agreement

Speak with your roommates and fill out the form together, based on rent/utility prices and other agreements that are made. This form is intended as a sample and should be filled out accordingly. It is hereby agreed on (__/__/____), between and among the tenants and roommates at (___________________________________) that:

1.   RENT and UTILITIES (Choose A or B)

      A.   Each person shall be responsible for: one-half, one-third, one-fourth, of rent and utilities payable each month.       B.

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2019 Expungement Law Information

New Expungement Law

A new expungement law took effect in Iowa on July 1, 2019. This law is in addition to existing expungement laws for PAULA, public intoxication, dismissed charges, and successful completion of deferred judgment probation. An expungement in Iowa does not erase your criminal history but does seal the court file. It may still be visible to employers and grad schools, and the law does not prohibit third parties from publishing criminal records. The requirements for the new law are as follows:

Applies to misdemeanors only and there are many exceptions (see below).

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