An Iowa Waiver of a Preliminary Hearing is an agreement between the state of Iowa and the defendant to bypass the preliminary hearing process. In Iowa, a preliminary hearing is a court process where the defendant is informed of the charges against them and given the opportunity to enter a plea. The purpose of the hearing is to determine if there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed to trial. A defendant may choose to waive the right to a preliminary hearing, which allows the case to move directly to trial. This waiver must be signed by the defendant and their attorney, and be filed with the court. There are two types of Iowa Waiver of a Preliminary Hearing: voluntary and involuntary. A voluntary waiver is when the defendant agrees to waive their right to a preliminary hearing by signing the waiver document. An involuntary waiver occurs when the defendant does not appear in court and the judge grants the waiver by default.