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Resubmit a returned filing

If a filing has been returned by the Clerk of Court, it will be assigned the status of ‘Returned Not Filed.’  

The reason for its return will be included in your courtesy notification and in the filing status detail.  To view the details in your eFile account, click the Returned Not Filed link in the My Filings list.   Resubmit the filing after you correct the error(s).

Note: If you paid the fees for a returned filing with a credit card, the fees will be credited back to that credit card.

Find the filing and review the reason

  1. Log into your eFile account.
  2. Click My Filings on the Home page. My Filings button highlighted
  3. Find the case/filing by entering the search criteria and clicking Go.
  4. Find the returned filing in the list and click the Returned Not Filed link in the Status column. The reason for the return is displayed on the Filing Status screen.List of filings with Returned Not Filed status highlighted

Common reasons for returns

Reason for Return

Could mean...

The filing fee was wrong
  • You chose an invalid deferment reason.
  • You selected the wrong document type and did not pay the proper filing fee.
  • You chose Pay at Counter and did not pay within the required 5 days.

Note: Clerks may reject all subsequent Pay at Counter filings from any filer who does not pay within the required 5 days more than three times.

The wrong document type was chosen
  • The document type did not match the form.
  • A Health Care Provider Statement in Lieu of Testimony (and Attorney Certificate) was filed as a Proposed Exhibit in Expedited Civil Actions (Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.281).

The PDF was prepared incorrectly
  • Two documents were combined but should not have been. For example:
    • A petition and civil original notice were combined.
    • A proposed order had an attachment.
    • A return of service contained the original pleading, writ, or order.
  • A multi-page document was scanned as individual pages (for example, a 9-page document was scanned as 9 separate documents).
  • The PDF was unreadable because it was blurred, too dark or light, or it was scanned sideways or upside down.

The required information was wrong or missing
  • The names of all plaintiffs/petitioners and defendants/respondents were not added in the electronic cover sheet.
  • The date of birth or Social Security number was missing for a party added under My Parties.
  • A proposed warrant had incorrect dates of birth or Social Security numbers.
  • The wrong case parties were specified on a document.

The document was filed on the wrong case
  • The document had the wrong case number or parties listed.
  • A multi-case filing was filed to the wrong cases or was not filed to all the listed cases.

The signature was wrong or missing
  • Someone other than the judge, the judge’s designee, or the clerk filed an order signed by a judge.
  • A pleading that requires a signature did not have a signature.

Your eFile registration has errors
  • A business was the filer of a document instead of an individual.
  • You have registered for the same role more than once.

Note: Registering for a second account in a different filer role is sometimes necessary. For example, a specialized nonparty filer who is a plaintiff or defendant in a civil suit must register as a Registered Filer to gain access to his or her case.

Correct the filing 

  1. Click My Filings on the home page.
  2. Find the case or filing by entering the search criteria and clicking Go.
  3. Click Resubmit.My filings page with Resubmit button emphasized

If the case number was wrong

If the case number was wrong, create a filing for the correct case and submit it.

If the error was in the case data

If the error was in the case data, select the document icon in the Edit Data column for the . Edit Data document icon highlighted

  1. To change case and party information, click the Back button, then correct the information. 
  2. To edit information on a party, click the party name in the list.
  3. To add parties, click Add My Parties or Add Other Parties
  4. Click Next.

If the error was in the document

If the error was in a document, delete the document and submit a corrected one. Your filing will receive a new file stamp corresponding to the date and time of your resubmission.

Note: Some document types are restricted to one per case.  You must remove the existing document before you can add a corrected document.

Remove document icon highlighted

If the error was in the information about the filing

  1. Click the document icon in the Remove column. 
  2. In the Document Type field, select the document type. Optionally, complete the Document Category and Additional Text fields.
  3. Browse for your corrected document and then click Add.
  4. Click Next. On the Review and Approve Filing page, verify the document by clicking the blue document link.
  5. If you want to explain something about your resubmitted filing, add a note under Special Filing Instructions for the Clerk.
  6. Select the Payment Method. If there is a fee for the filing, you must pay that fee, even if you paid fees for the original filing.
  7. Click Submit the Filing.

Note: If you paid fees for the original filing, it will be refunded to you. It will not be applied to this filing.

 Review and approve filing page

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