Juvenile court handles five kinds of cases related to children:
- Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) cases, which typically involve abused, abandoned, or neglected children and sometimes lead to termination of parental rights (TPR).
- Delinquency cases, which involve acts by a minor that would be considered criminal acts if committed by an adult.
- Serious mental impairment or substance-related disorder commitments.
- Adoption cases.
- Guardianships for minors.
There is additional information concerning these case types on the Iowa Judicial Branch website at: https://www.iowacourts.gov/iowa-courts/juvenile-court/.
For more information on juvenile court, see the Guide to Iowa’s Court System, pages 7-8, available on the Iowa Judicial Branch website at: https://www.iowacourts.gov/static/static/media/cms/GuidetoIowasCourtSystem_464EFAC4887E4.pdf.