Johnson County Courthouse

Johnson County Courthouse
Johnson County Courthouse

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Iowa City Fake ID Charges



Given my Iowa City Criminal Defense practice, I see a lot of Fake ID cases with Iowa City’s student population.  With Iowa City’s abundant network of bars in close proximity to the University of Iowa’s campus, many students are tempted to use a Fake ID to purchase alcohol or enter a drinking establishment. This decision can have serious consequences. 

I primarily see three different kinds of Iowa City Fake ID cases. First, I see students charged with unlawful use of license or nonoperator’s ID card. This is a simple misdemeanor and it carries a 30 day minimum driver’s license suspension from the Iowa DOT. The most common situation involving this crime is when an individual uses the valid ID of a friend or relative who is over 21 to enter a bar.  Another common Iowa City Fake ID charge   is the use of a driver’s license or nonoperator’s ID card by an underage person to obtain alcohol. This is also a simple misdemeanor, but it carries up to a 6 month Iowa DOT license suspension.  The most serious Iowa City Fake ID charge that I commonly see is when an individual possesses an ID that was made by a person with no authority to make the license.  This is a serious misdemeanor that also comes with a 30 day minimum driver’s license suspension from the Iowa DOT.  This specific Iowa City Fake ID charge commonly comes up when an underage individual is caught with a fake ID containing their photo and identifying information that they bought online for the purpose of obtaining alcohol or getting into a bar. 

As many University of Iowa Students are from Illinois, their Iowa City Fake ID charge can have separate, and often more significant, consequences regarding their Illinois driver’s license.  In addition to the potential jail time, fines, and driver’s license consequences, an Iowa City Fake ID charge can lead to disciplinary sanctions through the Office of the Dean of Students for University of Iowa Students.