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

A termination of parental rights proceeding or an adoption proceeding pending on January 1, 1977, or a release of parental rights or affidavit of consent or consent to adopt properly given prior to January 1, 1977 shall not be affected by the provisions of chapter 600A . [C79, 81…

1. An action for the adoption of any natural person shall be commenced by the filing of an adoption petition, as prescribed in section 600.5 , in the juvenile court or court of the county in which an adult person to be adopted is domiciled or resides, or in the juvenile court or …

Any person who may adopt may file an adoption petition under section 600.3 . The following persons may adopt: 1. An unmarried adult. 2. Husband and wife together. 3. A husband or wife separately if the person to be adopted is not the other spouse and if any of the following condi…

An adoption petition shall be signed and verified by the petitioner, shall be filed with the juvenile court or court designated in section 600.3 , and shall state: 1. The name, as it appears on the birth certificate or in a verified birth record or as it appears as a result of ma…

An adoption petition shall have attached to it the following: 1. A certified copy of the birth certificate showing parentage of the person to be adopted or, if such certificate is not available, a verified birth record. The department shall provide a certified copy of a birth cer…

Prior to ordering a hearing on the adoption petition, the court shall make a determination of the need for a guardian ad litem for a minor child to be adopted and shall, in writing, either appoint or waive the appointment of a guardian ad litem for purposes of the adoption procee…

1. An adoption petition shall not be granted unless the following persons consent to the adoption or unless the juvenile court or court makes a determination under subsection 4 : a. Any guardian of the person to be adopted. b. The spouse of a petitioner who is a stepparent. c. Th…

The department shall adopt rules which provide that if adoption services are provided by or through the department, notwithstanding any other selection of adoptive parent criteria, the overriding criterion shall be a preference for placing a child in a stable home environment as …

The department shall develop and furnish to the state registrar of vital statistics a document listing all postadoption services available to adoptive families in the state, to be delivered along with a copy of the new birth certificate to the parents named in the adoption decree…

1. a. A preplacement investigation shall be directed to and a report of this investigation shall answer the following: (1) Whether the home of the prospective adoption petitioner is a suitable one for the placement of a minor person to be adopted. (2) How the prospective adoption…

1. a. A biological parent shall not receive any thing of value as a result of the biological parent’s child or former child being placed with and adopted by another person, unless that thing of value is an allowable expense under subsection 2 . b. Any person assisting in any way …

1. All of the following are prohibited practices regarding a proceeding under this chapter : a. The provision of termination of parental rights, child placement, or adoption services to any biological or adoptive parent by any person other than an adoption service provider or the…

1. This chapter shall be construed liberally. The best interest of the child subject to the proceedings of this chapter shall be the paramount consideration in interpreting this chapter . However, the interests of the parents of this child or any natural person standing in the pl…

1. Any biological parent who chooses to identify the other biological parent and who knowingly and intentionally identifies a person who is not the other biological parent in the written release of custody or in any other document related to the termination of parental rights pro…

As used in this chapter : 1. “Adoption service provider” means an agency or a licensed attorney. 2. “Adult” means a person who is married or eighteen years of age or older. 3. “Agency” means a child-placing agency as defined in section 238.1 . 4. “Biological parent” means a paren…

1. The rights and duties of a custodian with respect to a child shall be as follows: a. To maintain or transfer to another the physical possession of that child. b. To protect, train, and discipline that child. c. To provide food, clothing, housing, and ordinary medical care for …

Unless otherwise enlarged or circumscribed by a court or juvenile court having jurisdiction over the minor child or by operation of law, the rights and duties of a guardian with respect to a minor child shall be as follows: 1. To consent to marriage, enlistment in the armed force…

1. Termination of parental rights shall be accomplished only according to the provisions of this chapter . However, termination of parental rights between an adult child and the child’s parents may be accomplished by a decree of adoption establishing a new parent-child relationsh…

1. A parent shall not permanently alter the parent-child relationship, except as ordered by a juvenile court or court. However, custody of a minor child may be assumed by a stepparent or a relative of that child within the fourth degree of consanguinity or transferred by an accep…

1. The following persons may petition a juvenile court for termination of parental rights under this chapter if the child of the parent-child relationship is born or expected to be born within one hundred eighty days of the date of petition filing: a. A parent or prospective pare…

1. A termination of parental rights under this chapter shall, unless provided otherwise in this section , be ordered only after notice has been served on all necessary parties and these parties have been given an opportunity to be heard before the juvenile court except that notic…

1. Upon the filing of a petition for termination of parental rights under this chapter , the parent identified in the petition shall have the right to counsel in connection with all subsequent hearings and proceedings. 2. If the parent against whom the petition is filed desires b…

1. A person filing a petition for termination of parental rights under this chapter shall be responsible for the payment of reasonable attorney fees for services provided by counsel appointed pursuant to section 600A.6A in juvenile court or in an appellate proceeding initiated by…

1. A person filing a petition for termination of parental rights under this chapter shall be responsible for the payment of reasonable fees for services provided by a guardian ad litem appointed pursuant to section 600A.6 in juvenile court or in an appellate proceeding initiated …

1. a. A biological parent shall not receive any thing of value as a result of the biological parent terminating the parent’s parental rights, unless that thing of value is an allowable expense under subsection 2 . b. Any person assisting in any way with the termination of parenta…

1. The hearing on termination of parental rights shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of sections 232.91 through 232.96 and otherwise in accordance with the rules of civil procedure. Such hearing shall be held no earlier than one week after the child is born. 2. R…

The juvenile court shall base its findings and order under section 600A.9 on clear and convincing proof. The following shall be, either separately or jointly, grounds for ordering termination of parental rights: 1. A parent has signed a release of custody pursuant to section 600A…

1. Subsequent to the hearing on termination of parental rights under this chapter , the juvenile court shall make a finding of facts and shall do one of the following: a. Order the petition dismissed. b. Order the petition granted. The juvenile court shall appoint a guardian and …

The parents of a child born out of wedlock and not legitimized (in this chapter referred to as “the child”) owe the child necessary maintenance, education, and support. They are also liable for the child’s funeral expenses. The father is also liable to pay the expense of the moth…

The action shall be by ordinary proceedings entitled in the name of the complainant against the defendant and shall be brought in the district court in the county in which the alleged father is permanently or temporarily resident, or in which the mother or the child resides or is…

It is not a bar to the jurisdiction of the court, that the complaining mother or child resides in another state. [C27, 31, 35, §12667-a11; C39, § 12667.11; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.11 ] C93, §600B.11

The complaint may be made to the county attorney. [C51, §848; R60, §1416; C73, §4715; C97, §5629; C24, §12658; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a12; C39, § 12667.12; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.12 ] C93, §600B.12

The complaint may be made in writing, or oral and in the presence of the complainant reduced to writing by the prosecuting attorney. It shall be verified by oath or affirmation of the complainant. [C51, §848; R60, §1416; C73, §4715; C97, §5629; C24, §12658; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a1…

The complainant shall charge the person named as defendant with being the father of the child. [C51, §848; R60, §1416; C73, §4715; C97, §5629; C24, §12658; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a14; C39, § 12667.14; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.14 ] C93, §600B.14

An original notice shall be issued as in other civil cases, which notice shall be served as in ordinary actions. [C51, §849; R60, §1417; C73, §4716; C97, §5630; C24, §12659; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a16; C39, § 12667.15; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.15 ] C93, …

From the time of the filing of such complaint, a lien shall be created upon the real property of the accused in the county where the action is pending for the payment of any money and the performance of any order adjudged by the proper court. [C51, §850; R60, §1418; C73, §4717; C…

The district court may order an attachment to issue thereon without bond, which order shall specify the amount of property to be seized thereunder, and may be revoked at any time by such court on a showing made for a revocation of the same, and on such terms as such court may dee…

The trial shall be by the court, and shall be conducted as in other civil cases. [C51, §851, 854; R60, §1419, 1422; C73, §4720; C97, §5634; C24, §12663; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a27; C39, § 12667.18; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.18 ] C93, §600B.18 97 Acts, ch …

The county attorney, on being notified of the facts justifying a complaint as provided in this chapter , or of the filing of such complaint, shall prosecute the matter in behalf of the complainant. [C73, §4719; C97, §5633; C24, §12662; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a28; C39, § 12667.19; C4…

The mother may recover from the father a reasonable share of the necessary support of the child. [C27, 31, 35, §12667-a2; C39, § 12667.02; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.2 ] C93, §600B.2

Unless objection is raised by either party to the action the judge shall exclude from the hearing all persons except the employees of the court, witnesses, and immediate relatives of the parties involved. [C27, 31, 35, §12667-a29; C39, § 12667.20; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73,…

If after the complaint the mother dies or becomes mentally ill or cannot be found within the jurisdiction, the proceeding does not abate, but the child shall be substituted as complainant. The testimony of the mother taken by deposition as in other civil cases, may in any such ca…

In case of the death of the defendant the action may be prosecuted against the personal representative of the deceased with like effects as if the defendant were living, subject as regards the measure of support to the provision of section 600B.6 . [C27, 31, 35, §12667-a32; C39, …

If the finding of the court be in favor of the defendant the costs of the action shall be paid by the county. [C24, §12666; C27, 31, 35, §12667-a33; C39, § 12667.23; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §675.23 ] C93, §600B.23 97 Acts, ch 175, §206

1. If the defendant, after being served with notice as required under section 600B.15 , fails to timely respond to the notice, or to appear for blood or genetic tests pursuant to a court or administrative order, or to appear at a scheduled hearing after being provided notice of t…

1. Upon a finding of paternity pursuant to section 600B.24 , the court shall establish the father’s monthly support payment and the amount of the support debt accrued or accruing pursuant to section 598.21B . The support obligation shall include support of the child between the a…