The bill amends Section 803.3 of the Code of Iowa to establish specific guidelines for determining the place of trial for certain criminal offenses when the county of the offense is unclear. It stipulates that if the county where the offense occurred cannot be readily identified, the trial will take place in the county of the victim's residence. In cases where there is no victim, the victim is not a resident of Iowa, or the victim's residence cannot be determined, the trial will be held in the county where the accused resides.

Additionally, if the victim is an entity rather than a natural person, the trial can occur in any county where the victim has a physical presence. In situations involving multiple victims, the trial may be conducted in any county where a victim resides, with priority given to the county of residence of a natural person over that of other victims. This bill aims to clarify the venue for trials in complex cases involving multiple jurisdictions or unclear victim status.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 803.3