Iowa Code » Chapter 711 — ROBBERY, AGGRAVATED THEFT, AND EXTORTION
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 711.1 (2026)

Robbery defined

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. A person commits a robbery when, having the intent to commit a theft, the person does any of the following acts to assist or further the commission of the intended theft or the person’s escape from the scene thereof with or without the stolen property:

a. Commits an assault upon another.

b. Threatens another with or purposely puts another in fear of immediate serious injury.

c. Threatens to commit immediately any forcible felony.

2. It is immaterial to the question of guilt or innocence of robbery that property was or was not actually stolen. [C51, §2578; R60, §4201; C73, §3858; C97, §4753; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §13038; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §711.1] 2013 Acts, ch 30, §205 Definition of forcible felony, §702.11 \n

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 306 cases (44 in the last 5 years), 1951–2026 · leading case: State of Iowa v. Randy Mitchell Copenhaver, 844 N.W.2d 442 (Iowa 2014).
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State of Iowa v. Randy Mitchell Copenhaver, 844 N.W.2d 442 (Iowa 2014). · cites it 28× “Iowa Code § 711.1 . Thus, the legislature has defined the unit of prosecution for robbery based upon the actions of the defendant.”
State v. Heard, 636 N.W.2d 227 (Iowa 2001). · cites it 24× “See Iowa Code §§ 711.1 , .3, 714.1, .2(1) (1997).”
State of Iowa v. Keyon Harrison, 914 N.W.2d 178 (Iowa 2018). · cites it 9× “2 and first-degree robbery in violation of Iowa Code sections 711.1 and 711.2 (2015). Harrison’s trial began on October 3, 2016.”
State v. Ceaser, 585 N.W.2d 192 (Iowa 1998). · cites it 24× “A jury found the defendant, Rodney Lee Ceaser, guilty of second-degree robbery, see Iowa Code §§ 711.1 , .3 (1997), and the trial court sentenced him to a mandatory ten-year term of imprisonment, see id.”
State v. Keeton, 710 N.W.2d 531 (Iowa 2006). · cites it 8× “Iowa Code § 711.1 . The State charged Keeton under the first paragraph of the statute, commission of an assault.”
State of Iowa v. Andre Letroy Antwan Harrington, 893 N.W.2d 36 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 711.1 (2013) (“A person commits a robbery when, having the intent to commit a theft, the person.”
State v. Pierce, 287 N.W.2d 570 (Iowa 1980). · cites it 14× “In this appeal, the issues are whether (1) the definition of robbery in section 711.1 is unconstitutionally vague, (2) the foundation was sufficient for admission of a pistol into evidence, (3) a witness should have been excluded for violation of the court’s sequestration order,…”
State v. Law, 306 N.W.2d 756 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 31× “1 provides: A person commits a robbery when, having the intent to commit a theft, the person does any of the following acts to assist or further the commission of the intended theft or the person’s escape from the scene thereof with or without the stolen property: 1.”
Pamela Golinveaux v. United States, 915 F.3d 564 (8th Cir. 2019). · cites it 3× “A third, her Iowa robbery conviction under Iowa Code § 711.1 (1), also qualified. Section 711.”
State v. Holmes, 276 N.W.2d 823 (Iowa 1979). · cites it 8× “2(1) and (3), were included offenses of robbery in the second degree, under §§ 711.1 and 711.3. The court refused to do so.”
State v. Terry, 544 N.W.2d 449 (Iowa 1996). · cites it 14× “See Iowa Code §§ 711.1 , .2 (1993). Terry claims the evidence is insufficient to support his conviction because the assault did not “assist or further [his] escape from the scene” of the theft as required by Iowa’s robbery statute.”
State v. Grice, 515 N.W.2d 20 (Iowa 1994). · cites it 10× “Iowa Code § 711.1 . Theft as defined in Iowa Code section 714-1(1) includes taking “possession or control of the property of another, or property in the possession of another.”
Show all 306 citing cases →
— Iowa Code § 711.1(1) — 19 cases
State of Iowa v. Keyon Harrison, 914 N.W.2d 178 (Iowa 2018). “2 and first-degree robbery in violation of Iowa Code sections 711.1 and 711.2 (2015). Harrison’s trial began on October 3, 2016.”
State v. Heard, 636 N.W.2d 227 (Iowa 2001). “See Iowa Code §§ 711.1 , .3, 714.1, .2(1) (1997).”
State v. Keeton, 710 N.W.2d 531 (Iowa 2006). “Iowa Code § 711.1 . The State charged Keeton under the first paragraph of the statute, commission of an assault.”
State v. Law, 306 N.W.2d 756 (Iowa 1981). “1 provides: A person commits a robbery when, having the intent to commit a theft, the person does any of the following acts to assist or further the commission of the intended theft or the person’s escape from the scene thereof with or without the stolen property: 1.”
State v. Johnson, 328 N.W.2d 918 (Iowa 1983).
— Iowa Code § 711.1(1)(A) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Ralpheal Rashee Williams (Iowa Ct. App. 2023).
— Iowa Code § 711.1(1)(a) — 6 cases
State of Iowa v. Waylon James Brown (Iowa 2023).
In the Interest of C.M., Minor Child, C.M., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
State of Iowa v. Dontrell Marqua Neal (Iowa Ct. App. 2016).
State of Iowa v. Chad Dean Meek (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Michael A. Gill, Jr. (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
— Iowa Code § 711.1(1)(b) — 5 cases
State of Iowa v. Roman Jacob Moncivaiz (Iowa Ct. App. 2017).
State of Iowa v. Stephon Travell Curry (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
State of Iowa v. Derek Morrison (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
State of Iowa v. Stanley Lavell Donahue (Iowa Ct. App. 2025).
State of Iowa v. Lille Victoria Barnett (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
— Iowa Code § 711.1(2) — 7 cases
State v. Law, 306 N.W.2d 756 (Iowa 1981). “1 provides: A person commits a robbery when, having the intent to commit a theft, the person does any of the following acts to assist or further the commission of the intended theft or the person’s escape from the scene thereof with or without the stolen property: 1.”
State v. Wales, 325 N.W.2d 87 (Iowa 1982).
State v. Birch, 479 N.W.2d 284 (Iowa 1991).
State v. Johnson, 328 N.W.2d 918 (Iowa 1983).
State v. Fink, 320 N.W.2d 632 (Iowa Ct. App. 1982).
— Iowa Code § 711.1(a) — 4 cases
State of Iowa v. Alan Nigel Archibald, Jr. (Iowa Ct. App. 2018).
State of Iowa v. Derek Morrison (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
State of Iowa v. Christopher Dixon (Iowa Ct. App. 2021).
State of Iowa v. Waylon James Brown (Iowa 2023).
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