• Clerk of District Court: 210 5th Avenue NE, Suite B, Independence, IA 50644; 319-334-2196; countyclerk.buchanan@iowacourts.gov.
• Buchanan County Attorney: 210 5th Avenue NE, Suite F, Independence, IA 50644; 319-334-3710; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
• Buchanan County Sheriff: 210 5th Avenue NE, Independence, IA 50644; 319-334-2568.
• Correctional center (jail): same address; 319-334-2017.

A magistrate sees the defendant soon after booking, usually the next court day. The judge reads the charge, rules on bond or release conditions, and takes a request for appointed counsel. A warrantless arrest needs a probable cause finding within 48 hours.

• Magistrate: Independence and Jesup city citations, traffic, and simple misdemeanors countywide.
• District associate judge: OWI, indictable misdemeanors and juvenile cases.
• District judge: felonies.

1. Booking at the correctional center and the first appearance.
2. The trial information, usually filed within 45 days.
3. Arraignment, where a written plea often replaces a court visit.
4. Discovery, depositions, motions and plea offers.
5. Trial inside 90 days of arraignment, if the defendant keeps the speedy-trial right.
6. If convicted, a presentence investigation and then the sentence.

Use Iowa Courts Online and choose Buchanan County. The county inmate list described on our inmate search page tells readers to check this docket for the latest charges and dates, because it updates only once a day.

If you are charged with an indictable crime and cannot afford counsel, tell the magistrate and file the sworn financial form. An approved request goes to the State Public Defender, which uses its own office or a contract attorney. Some of the expense may be assessed back to you.

Juvenile Court Services for the First District can be reached at 319-291-2506 and works out of the Independence courthouse for Buchanan cases. If secure detention is needed, the closest center is North Iowa Juvenile Detention Services, 1440 West Dunkerton Road, Waterloo, IA 50703, 319-291-2455; Buchanan also appears on the list for the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center in Eldora, 641-858-3852.

Only the court issues one; the sheriff cannot. Call the clerk at 319-334-2196 to start the paperwork.

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa handles them; its clerk is at 111 7th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401, 319-286-2300. Federal filings are on PACER, and the BOP locator finds federal prisoners.

Yes, our Buchanan County bail page explains amounts, payment and refunds.

Scheduling for Buchanan cases runs through 319-833-3332. The clerk in Independence can help with records at 319-334-2196, or by fax at 319-334-7455.

Buchanan County deputies serve the warrants this court signs, and the sheriff's office answers at 319-334-2568. Buchanan names aren't published, and Iowa has no public statewide search, so ask the Independence office directly. The case can be read on Iowa Courts Online. Where a skipped Independence hearing led to it, the Clerk of District Court at 210 5th Avenue NE, Ste. B, in Independence (319-334-2196) can explain how to seek another hearing day.