1. When an arrest is made without a warrant, the person arrested shall, without unnecessary delay, be taken before the nearest or most accessible magistrate in the judicial district in which such arrest was made or before a magistrate in an approved judicial district, and the grounds on which the arrest was made shall be stated to the magistrate by complaint, subscribed and sworn to by the complainant, or supported by the complainant’s affirmation, and such magistrate shall proceed as follows:

 a. If the magistrate believes from such complaint that the offense charged is triable in the magistrate’s court, the magistrate shall proceed with the case.
 b. If the magistrate believes from such complaint that the offense charged is triable in another court, the magistrate shall by written order, commit the person arrested to a peace officer, to be taken before the appropriate magistrate in the district in which the offense is triable, and shall fix the amount of bail or other conditions of release which the person arrested may give for the person’s appearance at the other court.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 804.22

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Chief judge: The judge who has primary responsibility for the administration of a court but also decides cases; chief judges are determined by seniority.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Magistrate: means a judicial officer appointed under chapter 602, article 6, part 4. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the territories, and the words "United States" may include the said district and territories. See Iowa Code 4.1
 2. This section and the rules of criminal procedure do not affect the provisions of chapter 805 authorizing the release of a person on citation or bail prior to initial appearance, unless the person is charged with manufacture, delivery, possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, or distribution of methamphetamine. The initial appearance of a person so released shall be scheduled for a time not more than thirty days after the date of release.
 3. For purposes of this section, an “approved judicial district” means, as to any particular arrest of a person made without a warrant, any judicial district in this state in which the chief judge of that judicial district and the chief judge of the judicial district in which the arrest was made have previously entered an order permitting a person arrested without warrant to be taken to a magistrate from any judicial district subject to the order.
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