Title XV, JUDICIAL BRANCH AND JUDICIAL PROCEDURES (Ch. 595 - 686D)

If a full-time associate juvenile judge or full-time associate probate judge is a member of the Iowa public employees’ retirement system on June 30, 1998, the associate juvenile judge or associate probate judge shall elect, by informing the state court administrator by June 30, 1…

The supreme court has supervisory and administrative control over the judicial branch and over all judicial officers and court employees. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1201, 10201 ; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §34

A judicial council is established, consisting of the chief judges of the judicial districts, the chief judge of the court of appeals, and the chief justice who shall be the chairperson. The council shall convene not less than twice each year at times and places as ordered by the …

The chief justice may order conferences of judicial officers or court employees on matters relating to the administration of justice or the affairs of the judicial branch. For judges and other court employees who handle cases involving children and family law, the chief justice s…

1. The supreme court shall prescribe procedures for the orderly and efficient supervision and administration of the judicial branch. These procedures shall be executed by the chief justice. 2. The state court administrator may issue directives relating to the management of the ju…

1. The supreme court shall prescribe procedures for the orderly and efficient administration of the judicial business of the courts. These procedures shall be executed by the chief justice. 2. Procedures for the district court shall provide for a court session at least once each …

1. The supreme court shall prescribe rules as necessary to supervise the conduct of attorneys and judicial officers. These rules shall be executed by the chief justice. 2. Supreme court rules shall be published as provided in section 2B.5B . 83 Acts, ch 186, §1206, 10201 ; 92 Act…

The chief justice shall communicate the condition of the judicial branch by message to each general assembly, and may recommend matters the chief justice deems appropriate. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1207, 10201 ; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §38

1. The supreme court, by majority vote, shall appoint a state court administrator and may remove the administrator for cause. 2. The state court administrator is the principal administrative officer of the judicial branch, subject to the immediate direction and supervision of the…

The state court administrator shall: 1. Manage the judicial branch. 2. Administer funds appropriated to the judicial branch. 3. Authorize the filling of vacant court employee positions, review the qualifications of each person to be employed within the judicial branch, and assure…

1. The state court administrator may authorize the procurement of goods and services in which a contractual limitation of vendor liability is provided for and set forth in the documents initiating the procurement. 2. a. The state court administrator shall consider all of the foll…

Not later than December 15 in each odd-numbered year the chief justice shall appoint chief judges of the judicial districts, subject to the approval of the supreme court. The chief judge of a judicial district shall be appointed from those district judges who are serving within t…

1. In addition to judicial duties, a chief judge of a judicial district shall supervise all judicial officers and court employees serving within the district. The chief judge shall by order fix the times and places of holding court, and shall designate the respective presiding ju…

1. The supreme court shall designate at least one district judge in each judicial district in the state who shall be subject to assignment by the chief justice to preside as necessary in this state in judicial review proceedings referred to in section 476.13, subsection 1 . Desig…

1. The judicial officers within a judicial district, excluding the magistrates, may convene as an administrative body as necessary to: a. Prescribe local court procedures, subject to the approval of the supreme court. b. Advise the chief judge respecting supervision and administr…

1. The chief judge of a judicial district shall appoint a district court administrator and may remove the administrator for cause. 2. The district court administrator shall assist the chief judge in the supervision and administration of the judicial district. 3. The district cour…

1. Subject to the provisions of section 602.1209, subsection 3 , the district judges of each judicial election district shall by majority vote appoint persons to serve as clerks of the district court within the judicial election district. The district judges of a judicial electio…

A clerk of the district court shall stand for retention in office, in the county of the clerk’s office, upon the petition signed by eligible electors residing in the county equal in number to at least ten percent of all registered voters in the county to the state commissioner of…

1. The director of juvenile court services shall appoint a chief juvenile court officer for each judicial district after consultation with the judges of the judicial district, and may remove a chief juvenile court officer for cause. 2. The chief juvenile court officer is subject …

Inefficiency, insubordination, incompetence, failure to perform assigned duties, inadequacy in performance of assigned duties, narcotics addiction, dishonesty, unrehabilitated alcoholism, negligence, conduct which adversely affects the performance of the individual or of the judi…

1. The supreme court shall prepare an annual operating budget for the judicial branch, and shall submit a budget request to the general assembly for the fiscal period for which the general assembly is appropriating funds. 2. a. As early as possible, but not later than December 1,…

1. Except as otherwise provided by sections 602.1303 and 602.8108 or other applicable law, the expenses of operating and maintaining the judicial branch shall be paid out of the general fund of the state from funds appropriated by the general assembly for the judicial branch. Sta…

1. A county or city shall provide the district court for the county with physical facilities, including heat, water, electricity, maintenance, and custodial services, as follows: a. A county shall provide courtrooms, offices, and other physical facilities which in the judgment of…

Except as provided in article 8 , all fees and other revenues collected by judicial officers and court employees shall be paid into the general fund of the state. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1304, 10201 ; 95 Acts, ch 207, §24 ; 96 Acts, ch 1034, §55 ; 96 Acts, ch 1216, §29 ; 97 Acts, ch 20…

All fees, costs, forfeited bail, and other court revenues collected by the district court shall be distributed as provided in article 8 . 83 Acts, ch 186, §1305, 10201

1. The supreme court shall establish, and may amend, a personnel system and a pay and benefits plan for court employees. The personnel system shall include a designation by position title, classification, and function of each position or class of positions within the judicial bra…

The employment of court employees within an operating component of the judicial branch is subject to prior authorization by the supreme court, and to approval by the state court administrator under section 602.1209 . 83 Acts, ch 186, §1402, 10201 ; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §49 Referred …

1. The chief justice and each justice of the supreme court shall receive the salary set by the general assembly. 2. The chief judge and each judge of the court of appeals shall receive the salary set by the general assembly. 3. The chief judge of each judicial district and each d…

1. The supreme court shall set the compensation of the state court administrator. The salaries of other employees of the judicial branch shall be set pursuant to the judicial branch’s pay plan established under section 602.1401 . 2. Court reporters who are employed on an emergenc…

Referees and other persons referred to in section 602.6602 shall receive a salary or other compensation as set by the supreme court. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1508, 10201

1. When a judicial officer, court employee, or other person providing professional services to the courts is required to travel in the discharge of official duties, the person shall be paid actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of duties, not to exceed a maxim…

The cost of a bond that is required of a judicial officer or court employee in the discharge of duties shall be paid by the judicial branch. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1510, 10201 ; 98 Acts, ch 1047, §51

Members of the board of examiners for certified shorthand reporters appointed under article 3 shall receive actual and necessary expenses pursuant to section 602.1509 and per diem compensation for each day actually engaged in the discharge of duties. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1511, 10201…

The members of the commission on judicial qualifications established under section 602.2102 , other than the judicial member, shall receive per diem compensation for each day that they are actually engaged in the performance of duties. All of the members shall be reimbursed for a…

The supreme court shall set the per diem compensation under sections 602.1511 and 602.1512 at a rate per day not exceeding the rate specified in section 7E.6 . 83 Acts, ch 186, §1513, 10201 ; 90 Acts, ch 1256, §53

All judicial proceedings shall be public, unless otherwise specially provided by statute or agreed to by the parties. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1601, 10201 Referred to in §22A.2

A court shall not be opened on Sunday and judicial business shall not be transacted on Sunday, except to: 1. Give instructions to a jury then deliberating on its verdict. 2. Receive a verdict or discharge a jury. 3. Exercise the powers of a magistrate in a criminal proceeding. 4.…

A person is not eligible for, and shall not hold the office of supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, district judge, or district associate judge unless admitted to the practice of law in this state. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1603, 10201

While holding office, a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, district judge, or district associate judge shall not practice as an attorney or counselor or give advice in relation to any action pending or about to be brought in any of the courts of the state. 83 Acts, ch…

1. A magistrate shall not accept any compensation, fee, or reward from or on behalf of anyone for services rendered in the conduct of official business except the compensation provided by law. 2. If a magistrate who practices law appears as counsel for a client in a matter that i…

1. A judicial officer is disqualified from acting in a proceeding, except upon the consent of all of the parties, if any of the following circumstances exists: a. The judicial officer has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party, or personal knowledge of disputed evidentia…

A full-time court employee shall not practice as an attorney or counselor of law. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1607, 10201

Court employees shall not accept any compensation, fee, or reward for services rendered in connection with duties of court employment except the compensation provided by law. 83 Acts, ch 186, §1608, 10201

Judicial officers and court employees shall comply with rules prescribed by the supreme court with respect to ethical conduct including the acceptance and receipt of gifts and honoraria, interests in public contracts, services against the state, and financial disclosure. In presc…

1. Judicial officers shall cease to hold office upon reaching the mandatory retirement age. a. The mandatory retirement age is seventy-eight years for all justices of the supreme court, judges of the court of appeals, and district judges. b. The mandatory retirement age is sevent…

1. Judges of the supreme court and court of appeals, district judges, and district associate judges are members of the judicial retirement system established in article 9, part 1 , and are not members of the public employees’ retirement system established in chapter 97B , except …