Iowa Code » Chapter 708 — ASSAULT
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 708.2 (2026)

Penalties for assault

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, with the intent to inflict a serious injury upon another, is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. 2. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, and who causes bodily injury or mental illness, is guilty of a serious misdemeanor. 3. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, and uses or displays a dangerous weapon in connection with the assault, is guilty of an aggravated misdemeanor. This subsection does not apply if section 708.6 or 708.8 applies. 4. A person who commits a violation of subsection 3 against another person who the person knows or reasonably should know is a pregnant person is guilty of a class “D” felony. 5. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, without the intent to inflict serious injury, but who causes serious injury, is guilty of a class “D” felony. 6. A person who commits an assault, as defined in section 708.1, and who uses any object to penetrate the genitalia or anus of another person, is guilty of a class “C” felony. 7. Any other assault, except as otherwise provided, is a simple misdemeanor. [C51, §2593 – 2595, 2597; R60, §4216 – 4218, 4220; C73, §3874 – 3876, 3878, 3879; C97, §4770 – 4772, 4774, 4775; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §12929 – 12935; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §694.1 – 694.7; C79, 81, §708.2; 81 Acts, ch 204, §3] 87 Acts, ch 154, §8; 98 Acts, ch 1026, §1; 99 Acts, ch 65, §3; 2003 Acts, ch 132, §2; 2010 Acts, ch 1072, §2; 2023 Acts, ch 23, §1 Referred to in §232.22, 671A.2, 692A.102, 702.11, 708.2A, 708.2D, 711.3B, 901C.3, 907.3 Definition of forcible felony, §702.11

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 231 cases (69 in the last 5 years), 1951–2026 · leading case: State v. McKettrick, 480 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 1992).
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State v. McKettrick, 480 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 1992). · cites it 24× “See Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (1), 903.1(2). The court also sentenced McKettrick to a term of incarceration not to exceed one year on each of his convictions for assault causing bodily injury, and for escape.”
State v. Ray, 516 N.W.2d 863 (Iowa 1994). · cites it 14× “See Iowa Code § 708.2 (3). The court instructed the jury, however, that Ray could be convicted of the latter crime’s lesser included offense, simple assault.”
State of Iowa v. Aki Malik Ross, 845 N.W.2d 692 (Iowa 2014). · cites it 6× “The jury also convicted Smith for the crime of assault with intent to inflict serious injury under section 708.2(1) for firing his gun at a named victim with intent to seriously injure that victim.”
Melissa Stender v. Anthony Zane Blessum, 897 N.W.2d 491 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 4× “Blessum was charged with assault causing bodily injury, see Iowa Code § 708.2 (2), and assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, see id.”
State of Iowa v. Eddie Lamont Virgil, 895 N.W.2d 873 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 708.2 (6); id. § 903.1. Virgil appealed.”
State of Iowa v. Anthony George Brothern, 832 N.W.2d 187 (Iowa 2013). · cites it 4× “The amended information stated in both counts I and II that Brothern had violated section 708.2(A)(4), the enhanced class “D” felony provision, because of his prior domestic abuse assault convictions.”
State v. Swanson, 423 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa Ct. App. 1988). · cites it 26× “Defendant Robert Emil Swanson appeals his conviction of two counts of assault under Iowa Code section 708.2. The section provides "A person who commits an assault.”
State v. Finnel, 515 N.W.2d 41 (Iowa 1994). · cites it 6× “See Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (2), 708.3, 713.5 (1991).”
State v. Heard, 636 N.W.2d 227 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 4× “, Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (1) (assault with intent to inflict serious injury), 708.”
State v. McCullah, 787 N.W.2d 90 (Iowa 2010). · cites it 4× “” To be sure, at the time the legislature enacted the inmate assault statute, chapter 708 already prohibited assault in various forms, including assault with intent to inflict serious injury (section 708.2(1) (1997)), assault causing bodily injury (section 708.”
State v. Gordon, 560 N.W.2d 4 (Iowa 1997). · cites it 8× “Iowa Code section 708.2 provides the penalties for assault.”
State of Iowa v. Travis Howard Richard Beck, 854 N.W.2d 56 (Iowa Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “The State filed an amended trial information in each case in January 2013, charging Beck in each case with one count of assault causing serious injury, in violation of Iowa Code section 708.2(4) (2011). The third case arises out of events occurring on May 5, 2012 — when Beck…”
Show all 231 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 708.2(1) — 36 cases
State of Iowa v. Aki Malik Ross, 845 N.W.2d 692 (Iowa 2014). “The jury also convicted Smith for the crime of assault with intent to inflict serious injury under section 708.2(1) for firing his gun at a named victim with intent to seriously injure that victim.”
State v. McKettrick, 480 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 1992). “See Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (1), 903.1(2). The court also sentenced McKettrick to a term of incarceration not to exceed one year on each of his convictions for assault causing bodily injury, and for escape.”
State v. Swanson, 423 N.W.2d 560 (Iowa Ct. App. 1988). “Defendant Robert Emil Swanson appeals his conviction of two counts of assault under Iowa Code section 708.2. The section provides "A person who commits an assault.”
State v. McCullah, 787 N.W.2d 90 (Iowa 2010). “” To be sure, at the time the legislature enacted the inmate assault statute, chapter 708 already prohibited assault in various forms, including assault with intent to inflict serious injury (section 708.2(1) (1997)), assault causing bodily injury (section 708.”
State v. Smith, 573 N.W.2d 14 (Iowa 1997).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(2) — 59 cases
State v. McKettrick, 480 N.W.2d 52 (Iowa 1992). “See Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (1), 903.1(2). The court also sentenced McKettrick to a term of incarceration not to exceed one year on each of his convictions for assault causing bodily injury, and for escape.”
State v. Gordon, 560 N.W.2d 4 (Iowa 1997). “Iowa Code section 708.2 provides the penalties for assault.”
State of Iowa v. Owen F. Benson, 919 N.W.2d 237 (Iowa 2018).
State v. McCullah, 787 N.W.2d 90 (Iowa 2010). “” To be sure, at the time the legislature enacted the inmate assault statute, chapter 708 already prohibited assault in various forms, including assault with intent to inflict serious injury (section 708.2(1) (1997)), assault causing bodily injury (section 708.”
State v. Finnel, 515 N.W.2d 41 (Iowa 1994). “See Iowa Code §§ 708.2 (2), 708.3, 713.5 (1991).”
— Iowa Code § 708.2(3) — 29 cases
State v. Ray, 516 N.W.2d 863 (Iowa 1994). “See Iowa Code § 708.2 (3). The court instructed the jury, however, that Ray could be convicted of the latter crime’s lesser included offense, simple assault.”
State v. Luppes, 358 N.W.2d 322 (Iowa Ct. App. 1984).
State of Iowa v. Brian Eugene Ingram, Jr., 918 N.W.2d 503 (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
State of Iowa v. Jean Lynn Lillie (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
State of Iowa v. Nessiah Tre'Verne Clark (Iowa Ct. App. 2024).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(4) — 17 cases
State of Iowa v. Travis Howard Richard Beck, 854 N.W.2d 56 (Iowa Ct. App. 2014). “The State filed an amended trial information in each case in January 2013, charging Beck in each case with one count of assault causing serious injury, in violation of Iowa Code section 708.2(4) (2011). The third case arises out of events occurring on May 5, 2012 — when Beck…”
State v. Lawler, 571 N.W.2d 486 (Iowa 1997).
State v. Ray, 516 N.W.2d 863 (Iowa 1994). “See Iowa Code § 708.2 (3). The court instructed the jury, however, that Ray could be convicted of the latter crime’s lesser included offense, simple assault.”
State v. Hepperle, 530 N.W.2d 735 (Iowa 1995).
State v. Mott, 635 N.W.2d 301 (Iowa Ct. App. 2001).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(5) — 5 cases
Dykstra v. Iowa Dist. Court for Jones Cnty., 783 N.W.2d 473 (Iowa 2010).
State of Iowa v. Zacarias (Iowa 2021).
State of Iowa v. Zachary Tyler Zacarias (Iowa 2021).
State of Iowa v. Zachary Scott Vulich (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
John Dykstra, Vs. Iowa Dist. Court For Jones Cnty. (Iowa 2010).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(6) — 9 cases
Kirk Howsare & Austin Howsare v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty. (Iowa 2023).
State of Iowa v. Thomas Aaron Ingram (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
Bobbi Jo Merch., Applicant-Appellant v. State of Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Joshua Daniel Gillette (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
Christopher L. McAfee v. State of Iowa (Iowa Ct. App. 2021).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(7) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Inez Nicholas Luna (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
— Iowa Code § 708.2(A)(4) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Anthony George Brothern, 832 N.W.2d 187 (Iowa 2013). “The amended information stated in both counts I and II that Brothern had violated section 708.2(A)(4), the enhanced class “D” felony provision, because of his prior domestic abuse assault convictions.”
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