Iowa Supreme Court · No. 23-1662

J. Doe v. Iowa District Court For Polk County

Decided March 7, 2025 · appeal from Polk County · Government

What the court decided

AI summary An individual asked the court to clear their records regarding two parole violation cases. The district court previously refused this request, ruling that a dismissal in a parole case is not the same as a dismissal in a criminal case. The higher court upheld the district court's decision, meaning the records will not be expunged.¹

Result: Writ Annulled

The court’s own summary

J. Doe challenges the district court’s denial of Doe’s applications to expunge the records related to two parole violation cases pursuant to Iowa Code section 901C.2. The district court found that a dismissal in a parole revocation case is not the equivalent of a dismissal in a criminal case and thus not eligible for expungement under section 901C.2.

Holding: An individual seeks certiorari review of a district court order declining to expunge two parole violation reports. Writ Annulled.

Read the opinion (PDF) · Case page on iowacourts.gov

Judges

Written by Justice Edward M. Mansfield
Trial judge: Jeffrey D. Farrell, Polk County

Iowa Code it cites

§17A.19 §901C.2 §908.1 §908.5

Each links to the bills that change that chapter.