Iowa Code § 232.29 (2026)

1. The informal adjustment of a complaint is a permissible disposition of a complaint at intake subject to the following conditions:

a. The child has admitted the child’s involvement in a delinquent act.

b. The intake officer shall advise the child and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian that they have the right to refuse an informal adjustment of the complaint and demand the filing of a petition and a formal adjudication.

c. Any informal adjustment agreement shall be entered into voluntarily and intelligently by the child with the advice of the child’s attorney, or by the child with the consent of a parent, guardian, or custodian if the child is not represented by counsel.

d. The terms of such agreement shall be clearly stated in writing and signed by all parties to the agreement and a copy of this agreement shall be given to the child; the counsel for the child; the parent, guardian, or custodian; and the intake officer, who shall retain the copy in the case file.

e. An agreement providing for the supervision of a child by a juvenile court officer or the provision of intake services shall not exceed six months.

f. An agreement providing for the referral of a child to a public or private agency for services shall not exceed six months.

g. The child and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian shall have the right to terminate such agreement at any time and to request the filing of a petition and a formal adjudication.

h. If an informal adjustment of a complaint has been made, a petition based upon the events out of which the original complaint arose may be filed only during the period of six months from the date the informal adjustment agreement was entered into. If a petition is filed within this period the child’s compliance with all proper and reasonable terms of the agreement shall be grounds for dismissal of the petition by the court.

i. The person performing the duties of intake officer shall file a report at least annually with the court listing the number of informal adjustments made during the reporting time, the conditions imposed in each case, the number of informal adjustments resulting in dismissal without the filing of a petition, and the number of informal adjustments resulting in the filing of a petition upon the original complaint.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:21:32 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 232 (92, 1) 25 JUVENILE JUSTICE, §232.35\n\n 2. An informal adjustment agreement may prohibit a child from driving a motor vehicle for a specified period of time or under specific circumstances, require the child to perform a work assignment of value to the state or to the public, or require the child to make restitution consisting of a monetary payment to the victim or a work assignment directly of value to the victim. The juvenile court officer shall notify the state department of transportation of the informal adjustment prohibiting the child from driving.

3. The person performing the duties of intake officer shall notify the superintendent of the school district or the superintendent’s designee, or the authorities in charge of the nonpublic school which the child attends, of any informal adjustment regarding the child, fourteen years of age or older, for an act which would be an aggravated misdemeanor or felony if committed by an adult.

4. An informal adjustment agreement regarding a child who has been placed in detention under section 232.22, subsection 1, paragraph “g”, may include a provision that the child voluntarily participate in a batterers’ treatment program under section 708.2B. [C79, 81, §232.29; 82 Acts, ch 1209, §8] 83 Acts, ch 186, §10055, 10201; 94 Acts, ch 1172, §14; 95 Acts, ch 180, §4; 95 Acts, ch 191, §11; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §595 Referred to in §232.28, 915.28 Juvenile victim restitution; see chapter 232A and §915.24 – 915.29\n\n 232.30 through 232.34 Reserved.\n\n PART 4 JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS \n