1. A victim may present a victim impact statement to the court using one or more of the
following methods:
a. A victim may file a signed victim impact statement with the county attorney, and
a filed impact statement shall be included in the presentence investigation report. If a
presentence investigation report is not ordered by the court, a filed victim impact statement
shall be provided to the court prior to sentencing. Unless requested otherwise by the victim,
the victim impact statement shall be presented at the sentencing hearing in the presence
of the defendant, and at any hearing regarding reconsideration of sentence. The victim
impact statement may be presented by the victim or the victim’s attorney or designated
representative.
b. A victim may orally present a victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing, in the
presence of the defendant, and at any hearing regarding reconsideration of sentence.
c. A victim may make a video recording of a statement or, if available, may make a
statement from a remote location through a video monitor at the sentencing hearing, in the
presence of the defendant, and at any hearing regarding reconsideration of sentence.
d. A victim may make an audio recording of the statement or appear by audio via a
speakerphone to make a statement, to be delivered in court in the presence of the defendant,
and at any hearing regarding reconsideration of sentence.
e. If the victim is unable to make an oral or written statement because of the victim’s
age, or mental, emotional, or physical incapacity, the victim’s attorney or a designated
representative shall have the opportunity to make a statement on behalf of the victim.
2. A victim impact statement shall include the identification of the victim of the offense,
and may include the following:
a. Itemization of any economic loss suffered by the victim as a result of the offense. For
purposes of this paragraph, a pecuniary damages statement prepared by a county attorney
pursuant to section 910.3 may serve as the itemization of economic loss.
b. Identification of any physical injury suffered by the victim as a result of the offense with
detail as to its seriousness and permanence.
c. Description of any change in the victim’s personal welfare or familial relationships as
a result of the offense.
d. Description of any request for psychological services initiated by the victim or the
victim’s family as a result of the offense.
e. Any other information related to the impact of the offense upon the victim.
3. A victim shall not be placed under oath and subjected to cross-examination at the
sentencing hearing.\n\nTue Dec 09 21:51:55 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 915 (75, 1)
9 VICTIM RIGHTS, §915.22\n\n 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the inherent power of the court to
regulate the conduct of persons present in the courtroom.
98 Acts, ch 1090, §17, 84; 2002 Acts, ch 1039, §2 – 4
Referred to in §235A.15, 235B.6, 901.4B
\n
Notes of Decisions
State of Iowa v. Andrew James Lopez, 872 N.W.2d 159 (Iowa 2015).
· cites it 15× “21 provides that “[a] victim may present a victim impact statement to the court_” Iowa Code § 915.21 (1) (2013). Lopez contends that this provision limits such statements.”
State v. Tesch, 704 N.W.2d 440 (Iowa 2005).
· cites it 2× “Iowa Code section 915.21 provides that “[a] victim may present a victim impact statement to the court” using one or more specified methods.”
State v. Matheson, 684 N.W.2d 243 (Iowa 2004).
· cites it 2× “Authority to submit impact statements is authorized under Iowa Code section 915.21 and is wholly statutory. A victim under our statute includes only those who are affected by a crime “committed in this state.”
United States v. Degenhardt, 405 F. Supp. 2d 1341 (D. Utah 2005).
“§ 35 — 35—3—5(b) (same); Iowa Code Ann. § 915.21 (same); La.Rev.Stat.”
State of Iowa v. Laron D'Pree Hampton (Iowa Ct. App. 2020).
· cites it 16× ““Authority to submit impact statements is authorized under Iowa Code section 915.21 and is wholly statutory.” State v.”
State of Iowa v. Shane Michael Davis (Iowa 2022).
· cites it 14× “§ 901.5.4 Davis argues the prosecutor undermined the plea agreement by reading the statements urging prison time word-for-word without herself advocating at all for suspended sentences.”
State of Iowa v. Steven James McAllister (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
· cites it 10× “Iowa Code § 915.21 (1)(a). Another way is by orally presenting them at the sentencing hearing, as the 2 McAllister also complains that the presentence investigator and psychosexual evaluator relied on the minutes of testimony in recommending sentences to the court because both…”
State of Iowa v. Reuben Daniel Schooley (Iowa 2024).
· cites it 9× “Schooley next challenges his sentence, arguing that the district court improperly considered the GAL’s victim- impact statement when sentencing him to incarceration instead of a suspended sentence because (1) the GAL was not authorized to provide a victim-impact statement under…”
State of Iowa v. Clayton Smith (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
· cites it 6× “See Iowa Code § 915.21 . “[T]his may at times result in the airing of allegations which are 5 unproven.”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(1) — 5 cases
State of Iowa v. Steven James McAllister (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
“Iowa Code § 915.21 (1)(a). Another way is by orally presenting them at the sentencing hearing, as the 2 McAllister also complains that the presentence investigator and psychosexual evaluator relied on the minutes of testimony in recommending sentences to the court because both…”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(1)(a) — 9 cases
State of Iowa v. Shane Michael Davis (Iowa 2022).
“§ 901.5.4 Davis argues the prosecutor undermined the plea agreement by reading the statements urging prison time word-for-word without herself advocating at all for suspended sentences.”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(1)(b) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Steven James McAllister (Iowa Ct. App. 2026).
“Iowa Code § 915.21 (1)(a). Another way is by orally presenting them at the sentencing hearing, as the 2 McAllister also complains that the presentence investigator and psychosexual evaluator relied on the minutes of testimony in recommending sentences to the court because both…”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(1)(e) — 6 cases
State of Iowa v. Reuben Daniel Schooley (Iowa 2024).
“Schooley next challenges his sentence, arguing that the district court improperly considered the GAL’s victim- impact statement when sentencing him to incarceration instead of a suspended sentence because (1) the GAL was not authorized to provide a victim-impact statement under…”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(2) — 5 cases
State of Iowa v. Clayton Smith (Iowa Ct. App. 2022).
“See Iowa Code § 915.21 . “[T]his may at times result in the airing of allegations which are 5 unproven.”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(2)(c) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 915.21(2)(e) — 3 cases
— Iowa Code § 915.21(3) — 5 cases
— Iowa Code § 915.21(e) — 2 cases
State of Iowa v. Andrew James Lopez, 872 N.W.2d 159 (Iowa 2015).
“21 provides that “[a] victim may present a victim impact statement to the court_” Iowa Code § 915.21 (1) (2013). Lopez contends that this provision limits such statements.”
— Iowa Code § 915.21(l)(e) — 1 case
State of Iowa v. Andrew James Lopez, 872 N.W.2d 159 (Iowa 2015).
“21 provides that “[a] victim may present a victim impact statement to the court_” Iowa Code § 915.21 (1) (2013). Lopez contends that this provision limits such statements.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.