When there are multiple defendants charged with the same crime in Iowa, they can be charged as co-defendants in the same Trial Information, which is the formal charging document. If co-defendants are charged in the same Trial Information, then they will have a joint trial where they are all tried at the same time. In some cases, it may be best for a defendant to have co-defendants charged separately with separate trials
Motions to Sever Multi-defendant Trials in Iowa Criminal Cases
by Attorney Eric D. Puryear