2025 Session Last amended: 1979 session

§ 627.01 — Place of Trial; Change of Venue

Plain-Language Summary

This section says criminal cases must be tried in the county where the crime happened. The defendant can ask for one change of location. The county where the crime happened includes any county where part of the crime occurred, where stolen property was found, or where services related to the crime were provided.

Practical Notes
If you are charged with a crime, the trial will normally happen in the county where the crime took place. You can request to move the trial to a different county once, which may help if there has been a lot of local media coverage.