1. A peer review court is established as a pilot program to divert youthful offenders from the criminal or juvenile justice systems. The court shall consist of a qualified adult to act as judge with prosecutor, defense counsel, court attendant, clerk, and jury composed of persons ten through seventeen years of age.
2. The jurisdiction of the peer review court extends to those persons ten through seventeen years of age who have com- mitted misdemeanor offenses or delinquent acts which would be misdemeanor offenses if committed by an adult and who have entered a plea of guilty, entered into an informal adjustment agreement, or agreed to the entry of a consent decree to those offenses in district or juvenile court. Those persons may then elect to appear before the peer review court to receive sentence. The peer review court shall not determine guilt or innocence. The peer review court shall only determine the sentence for the offense. The sentence may consist of fines, restrictions for damages, attendance at treatment programs, or community service work or any combination of these. A person appearing before the peer review court may also be required to serve as a juror on the court as a part of the person's sentence.
3. Subject to the agreement of the chief judge of the judicial district, the supreme court shall designate two judicial districts in which to locate a peer review court pilot project. The chief judge of the district shall appoint a peer review court advisory board. The advisory board shall adopt rules for the peer review court advisory program, shall appoint persons to serve on the peer review court, and shall supervise the expenditure of funds appropriated to the program.
89 Acts, ch 262, §1
Iowa General Assembly
Search: Iowa Code 1997
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