Iowa Code » Chapter 814 — APPEALS FROM THE DISTRICT COURT
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 814.20 (2026)

Decisions on appeals or applications by defendant

✓ current as of July 2026
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An appeal or application taken by the defendant shall not be dismissed for an informality or defect in taking it if corrected as directed by the appellate court. The appellate court, after an examination of the entire record, may dispose of the case by affirmation, reversal or modification of the district court judgment. The appellate court may also order a new trial, or reduce the punishment, but shall not increase it. [C51, §3097, 3098; R60, §4921, 4925; C73, §4534, 4538; C97, §5457, 5462; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §14006, 14010; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, §793.14, 793.18; C79, 81, §814.20] 85 Acts, ch 157, §5

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 20 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1978–2026 · leading case: State v. Bower, 725 N.W.2d 435 (Iowa 2006).
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State v. Bower, 725 N.W.2d 435 (Iowa 2006). · cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 814.20 ; see also State v. Draper, 457 N.”
State v. Knupp, 310 N.W.2d 179 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 8× “Defendant contends that upon proof of mitigating circumstances we ■ have the power and the duty to reduce his life sentence under the following relevant provisions of section 814.20, The Code: The appellate court .”
Grout v. State, 320 N.W.2d 619 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 12× “It also arises under the judgment on the record statute, section 814.20, The Code, when the result is sufficiently egregious to be characterized as a miscarriage of justice.”
State v. Draper, 457 N.W.2d 600 (Iowa 1990). · cites it 6× “She bases this argument on Iowa Code section 814.20, which provides that on appeal from the district court, the appellate court may “order a new trial, or reduce the punishment, but shall not increase it.”
State v. Killpack, 276 N.W.2d 368 (Iowa 1979). · cites it 4× “In view of the recent addition of the Code requirement of record reasons for imposition of sentence, we decline to adopt the ABA Standards for Appellate Review of Sentencing.”
People v. Coles, 339 N.W.2d 440 (Mich. 1983). “27 ABA Standards for Criminal Justice Relating to Appellate Review of Sentences (2d ed), Commentary to Standard 20-1.”
State v. Inger, 292 N.W.2d 119 (Iowa 1980). · cites it 2× “He asks us to modify the sentence under section 814.20, The Code, which states, in part, that “.”
State v. White, 337 N.W.2d 517 (Iowa 1983). · cites it 2× “In the circumstances of this case, we hold it is proper to exercise our Iowa Code section 814.20 authority to modify the district court judgment, in order to make it comply with applicable statutes.”
State v. Thompson, 275 N.W.2d 370 (Iowa 1979). · cites it 2× “See § 814.20, The Code, Supp., 1977. Under rule 22(3)(d), R.”
State v. Janz, 358 N.W.2d 547 (Iowa 1984). · cites it 2× “Noting that the practice in Iowa for many years had been to allow either the district court or the *549 appellate court to correct an illegal sentence, we said: Nothing in rule 23(5)(a) expressly requires a motion thereunder prior to appeal, section 814.20 of the Code authorizes…”
State v. Young, 292 N.W.2d 432 (Iowa 1980). · cites it 2× “Nothing in rule 23(5)(a) expressly requires a motion thereunder prior to appeal, section 814.20 of the Code authorizes us to dispose of an appeal by affirmation, reversal, “or modification” of the judgment, and we prefer to remain with the prior practice.”
State v. Davis, 328 N.W.2d 301 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 2× “Section 814.20 of the Code authorizes us, after examination of the entire record, to reduce the punishment, but we cannot increase it.”
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