Iowa Code » Chapter 665 — CONTEMPTS
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 665.4 (2026)

Punishment

✓ current as of July 2026
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The punishment for contempt, where not otherwise specifically provided, shall be:

1. In the supreme court or the court of appeals, by a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.

2. Before district judges, district associate judges, and associate juvenile judges by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.

3. Before judicial magistrates, by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars or imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding thirty days. [C51, §1600; R60, §2690; C73, §3493; C97, §4462; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §12543; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §665.4] 85 Acts, ch 27, §1; 96 Acts, ch 1134, §6 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 53 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1949–2026 · leading case: Reis v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 787 N.W.2d 61 (Iowa 2010).
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Reis v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 787 N.W.2d 61 (Iowa 2010). · cites it 10× “Reis and Stowers argue attorney’s fees are not a proper remedy for a holding of contempt under the Iowa statutes governing contempt.”
Wilson v. Fenton, 312 N.W.2d 524 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 12× “Punishment is governed by section 665.4, which provides in material part: The punishment for contempt, where not otherwise specifically provided, shall be: 2.”
French v. Iowa Dist. Court for Jones Cnty., 546 N.W.2d 911 (Iowa 1996). · cites it 15× “See Iowa Code § 665.4 (2). In its ruling, the court found the net costs of removal of the debris of $3,088.”
McNabb v. Osmundson, 315 N.W.2d 9 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 8× “Did McNabb Have a Constitutional Right to Counsel in the Contempt Action? Section 665.4, The Code, delineates the punishments for contempt "where not otherwise specifically provided.”
Amro v. Iowa Dist. Court for Story Cnty., 429 N.W.2d 135 (Iowa 1988). · cites it 6× “Compare Iowa Code § 665.4 (1987) with Iowa Code § 665.”
Ickowitz v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 452 N.W.2d 446 (Iowa 1990). · cites it 12× “Ruigh, 351 N.W.2d 182, 184 (Iowa 1984). Where a finding of contempt is based on disobedience of a court's order, our cases recognize that a court may impose punitive sanctions under section 665.”
State v. Mott, 731 N.W.2d 392 (Iowa 2007). · cites it 6× “The State contends the district court correctly ordered Mott confined in county jail because contempt may only be punished by imprisonment in a county jail pursuant to Iowa Code section 665.4 (2005). For the reasons that follow, we affirm the district court’s order requiring…”
Palmer Coll. of Chiropractic v. Iowa Dist. Court for Scott Cnty., 412 N.W.2d 617 (Iowa 1987). · cites it 6× “A court may not, therefore, punish contempt by a penalty which exceeds that allowed by section 665.4. Id. In the present ease the trial court imposed a daily fine on Palmer College of $500 commencing June 12, 1986, for each day Palmer failed to issue a degree.”
Upon the Petition of Brandy Marie Myers, & Concerning, Todd Alan Cosby, 874 N.W.2d 679 (Iowa Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 7× “” Iowa Code § 665.4 ; see also Iowa Code § 665.”
Blake Rea v. Iowa Dist. Court for Lee (North) Cnty., 877 N.W.2d 869 (Iowa Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 4× “The punishment for contempt is provided in section 665.4: “The punishment for contempt, where not otherwise specifically provided, shall be: .”
Christensen v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 578 N.W.2d 675 (Iowa 1998). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code section 665.4(2) allows the district court to impose a fine and/or “imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months.”
Phillips v. Iowa Dist. Court for Johnson Cnty., 380 N.W.2d 706 (Iowa 1986). · cites it 2× “The punishment in section 665.4 is punitive and the fine is for the benefit of the State.”
Show all 53 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 665.4(1) — 2 cases
In Re the Marriage of Bevers, 326 N.W.2d 896 (Iowa 1982).
State of Iowa v. Jordan Kevin Cole (Iowa 2025).
— Iowa Code § 665.4(2) — 11 cases
McNabb v. Osmundson, 315 N.W.2d 9 (Iowa 1982). “Did McNabb Have a Constitutional Right to Counsel in the Contempt Action? Section 665.4, The Code, delineates the punishments for contempt "where not otherwise specifically provided.”
Wilson v. Fenton, 312 N.W.2d 524 (Iowa 1981). “Punishment is governed by section 665.4, which provides in material part: The punishment for contempt, where not otherwise specifically provided, shall be: 2.”
Palmer Coll. of Chiropractic v. Iowa Dist. Court for Scott Cnty., 412 N.W.2d 617 (Iowa 1987). “A court may not, therefore, punish contempt by a penalty which exceeds that allowed by section 665.4. Id. In the present ease the trial court imposed a daily fine on Palmer College of $500 commencing June 12, 1986, for each day Palmer failed to issue a degree.”
Christensen v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 578 N.W.2d 675 (Iowa 1998). “Iowa Code section 665.4(2) allows the district court to impose a fine and/or “imprisonment in a county jail not exceeding six months.”
French v. Iowa Dist. Court for Jones Cnty., 546 N.W.2d 911 (Iowa 1996). “See Iowa Code § 665.4 (2). In its ruling, the court found the net costs of removal of the debris of $3,088.”
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