Iowa Court & Family Education Guide
Information for anyone navigating a court order, custody case, or probation requirement in Iowa that involves anger management, parenting, co-parenting, or substance-abuse education.
What does Clearway offer?
People are sometimes ordered or referred to an educational program as part of a family-law, custody, probation, or other Iowa court-related matter. The type of program required can depend on the circumstances of the case and the exact wording of the court order.
Clearway Institute offers four self-paced online courses: anger management, parenting, co-parenting, and substance-abuse education. Not every course is appropriate for every court order, and completing an online course does not automatically mean a particular Iowa court, probation department, or agency will accept it — always read your order carefully and confirm the required program with the court, probation officer, attorney, or other referring agency when you're not sure.
Which type of class do you need?
Start with whichever matches your order or situation — each course page has the full curriculum before you enroll.
What if a Iowa court ordered it?
Iowa has a statewide batterers' program. Under Iowa Code § 708.2A(10), a court must order a person convicted of domestic abuse assault under subsection 2 or 3 to participate in a batterers' treatment program under § 708.2B, and must also require it as a condition of a deferred judgment or sentence. The programs are run by the judicial district departments of correctional services, and the section does not set a program length.
On the civil side, protective orders under Iowa Code chapter 236 can include counseling for the parties and children from an approved or court-appointed source. In custody cases, § 598.41 treats a history of domestic abuse as a factor and creates a rebuttable presumption against joint custody. Requirements vary, so confirm exactly what your own order or judgment requires before enrolling in any course.
What's the difference between classes?
Parenting vs. co-parenting. Parenting covers general child-development, discipline, and communication skills, and comes up in a wide range of family cases. Co-parenting is built specifically for separated or divorcing parents — coordinating two households, handling custody transitions, and keeping kids out of the middle — and is the more common requirement in a custody or divorce order.
Anger management vs. a certified intervention program. Many states, Iowa included, treat general educational anger-management coursework as legally distinct from a state-certified batterer intervention, family-violence intervention, or abuser-treatment program ordered specifically in a domestic-violence case — see “What if a Iowa court ordered it?” above for how that distinction works here. If your order names a specific certified program by name, an educational anger-management course usually isn't an automatic substitute — check with your court.
Where can I verify requirements?
The most reliable answer always comes from whoever issued your order — the court clerk, your probation or parole officer, your attorney, or the agency that referred you. Below are free, Iowa-specific places to start if you need legal help, counseling, or crisis support along the way.
Legal reference material
For anyone who wants to read the underlying statutes for themselves, here is the reference material this guide is based on — Iowa civil and family-law sections first, then criminal law.
Civil & family law
Custody and domestic abuse historyIowa Code § 598.41
A history of domestic abuse is one of the factors the court weighs, and it creates a rebuttable presumption against awarding joint custody. Indicators the court may consider include protective orders, arrests, and domestic abuse assault convictions. A parent who leaves the home because of abuse or fear of abuse should not be penalized for doing so.
Domestic abuse protective ordersIowa Code § 236.5
A protective order is for a fixed period not to exceed one year and can be extended after a hearing. The court may order no-contact and stay-away terms, exclusive possession of the residence, and temporary custody or visitation, and may order professional counseling for the plaintiff, defendant, and children.
Criminal law
Domestic abuse assaultIowa Code § 708.2A
An assault that also meets the domestic abuse definition in § 236.2 is a simple misdemeanor by default. It is a serious misdemeanor if it causes bodily injury or mental illness, and an aggravated misdemeanor if committed with intent to inflict serious injury, with a dangerous weapon, or by impeding breathing. A third or later offense is a class D felony, and certain convictions carry a two-day minimum jail term.
AssaultIowa Code §§ 708.1, 708.2
Assault that does not fall into a more serious category defined elsewhere in the chapter is a simple misdemeanor. Whether an assault is also domestic abuse assault depends on the relationship between the people involved.
StalkingIowa Code § 708.11
Stalking is an intentional course of conduct directed at a specific person that would make a reasonable person feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, or threatened. A first offense is generally an aggravated misdemeanor, a second offense a class D felony, and it is a class C felony in listed situations, such as stalking while subject to a protective order or using a technological device.
Violation of a no-contact or protective orderIowa Code § 664A.7
A violation can be punished through summary contempt proceedings, and violations of certain orders are charged as a simple misdemeanor. The statute sets mandatory minimum jail terms in some situations, including a seven-day minimum for certain no-contact orders.