Highest Court
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court consists of 7
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appeals as of right in all cases from
District Court except real estate under $3,000 or decision on small claims
appeals.
Intermediate Courts
Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals consists of
9 judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) Appeals and original proceedings
transferred by the Supreme Court.
General Courts
District Court
The District Court consists of 116
judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) General and original civil probate.
(2) General and original criminal. (3) Juvenile.
Appeals de novo and on record.
No jury trials are overseen by this
court.
District Court
The District Court consists of 54
district associate judges. It has jurisdiction over (1) City actions $10,000
or less, small claims $4,000 or less, forcible entry, and detainer exept
to title to property. (2) Misdemeanors, indictable misdemeanors, non-indictable
misdemeanors, including traffic and ordinance violations. (3) Preliminary
hearings. (4) Juvenile.
No jury trials are overseen by this court.
District Court
The District Court 134 part-time
magistrates. It has jurisdiction over (1) Small claims $4,000 or less,
forcible entry, and detainer except title to property. (2) Non-indictable
misdemeanors including traffic and ordinace violations (fines not to exceed
$500 or sentence not to exceed one year imprisonment). (3) Emergency hospitalization
hearings. (4) Search warrant and seized property hearings.
No jury trials are overseen by this court.
Additional Information
Personal Conferences
The chief justice retains the right
to hold conferences involving the judicial officers or court employees
of matters of the administration of justice or of the judicial branch.
Concerning judges and court employees who are involved in child and family
law, the chief justice shall require regular training sessions concerning
the mental and emotional of children under such trauma and situations.
(Iowa Code 602.1203)
Rules for Judges and Attorneys
The Supreme Court retains the power
to provide rules to supervise the conduct of attorneys and judicial officers.
These rules shall be carried forth by the chief justice and published as
provided in section 2B.5. (Iowa Code 602.1206)
Report of the Condition of the
Judicial Branch
The condition of the judicial branch
will be reported to the general assembly by the chief justice by message.
The chief justice may recommend matters as the chief justice sees fit.
(Iowa Code 602.1207)
Removal for Cause
A public employee of the judicial
branch may be removed for 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, unbecoming conduct, misconduct,
or any just and good cause. (Iowa Code 602.1218)
Permissible Act for Sunday
Court and judicial business shall
not be conducted on Sunday, except to give instructions to a jury then
deliberating on its verdict, receive a verdict or discharge a jury, exercise
the powers of a magistrate in a criminal proceeding, or to perform other
acts as provided by law. (Iowa Code 602.1602)
Law Clerks
Legal assistants to the court of
appeals may be attorneys or graduates of a reputable law school. (Iowa
Code 602.5203)
Physicians and nurses
A county having a population of
136,000 or more may have a physician and a nurse appointed by the judges
of the juvenile court. The juvenile court judges retain the authority
to assign their duties and to remove them. The physician and nurse
shall receive their salaries and reimbursement for their expenses as judged
by the supreme court. (Iowa Code 602.7104)
