Orders - 2022 Archive

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting amendments to chapter 22 of the Iowa Court Rules. The amendments provide that the personal financial disclosure form filed by all Iowa judges each year will be as prescribed by the state court administrator.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting Chapter 70 of the Iowa Court Rules, to take effect July 1, 2023. The new chapter governs the administration of early intervention and follow-up programs, graduated sanctions and court-ordered services, upon transfer from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to the Iowa Judicial Branch.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order approving amendments to chapter 4 of the Iowa Court Rules.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order making amendments to chapter 17 of the Iowa Court Rules and incorporating self-represented litigant forms for domestic, elder, and sexual abuse matters into the court rules.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order appointing new members to the Iowa Access to Justice Commission and reappointing Commission members to second terms.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting a revised Chapter 2 Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure. These rules will take effect on July 1, 2023, subject to Legislative Council review as provided by Iowa Code section 602.4202. This includes criminal cases filed after that date and criminal cases already pending on that date. However, judicial districts or individual district judges may, in the exercise of their discretion, exempt any case that was pending before July 1, 2023, from one or more of the revised rules.

On September 19, 2022, Chief Justice Christensen signed an order adopting amendments to the Chapter 16 Iowa Rules of Electronic procedure. The amendments required that social reports and social records be filed using the correct corresponding Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) document type as well as removed the exemption from exhibit maintenance orders for juvenile court proceedings. The amendments took effect Monday, October 3, 2022. A background memo and instructions for filers accompanied the court’s order and rule amendments.  

On October 4, 2022, Chief Justice Christensen signed an order amending the September 19 order. The amended order clarifies which documents should continue to be filed as proposed exhibits in juvenile court proceedings and corrects an error in the background information memorandum attached to the September 19, 2022 order.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order appointing Justice Matthew McDermott as Chair of the Iowa Access to Justice Commission.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting amendments to chapters 31, 34, 35, 36, 41, 45, and 46 contained in Division III, Professional Regulation, of the Iowa Court Rules.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting amendments to the Iowa Rules of Evidence.  The amendments take effect January 1, 2023, subject to Legislative Council Review as provided by Iowa Code section 602.4202. 
 

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order expanding the Electronic Search Warrant Pilot Project statewide and amending the Memorandum of Operation to reflect this expansion.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting revised forms for Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 of the Iowa Court Rules relating to involuntary hospitalizations and commitments. The forms will take effect on November 1, 2022, subject to Legislative Council review as provided by Iowa Code section 602.4202.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order approving the Judicial Council's review of the Uniform Bond Schedule.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order approving an amended Small Claims Form 3.8: Original Notice and Petition for Disposition of Abandoned Property. The new form 3.8 will         take effect July 1, 2022.

The Iowa Supreme Court requests further public comment regarding proposed amendments to Chapter 2, Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure. The Criminal Rules Task Force will also hold a public session providing those who submit comments an opportunity to speak on August 5, 2022. The deadline for submitting comments is 4:30 p.m. on Friday, July 22, 2022. If you wish to speak at the public session, please indicate that along with your comments.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order updating an internal rule reference in Iowa Court Rule 9.8(2).

The Iowa Supreme Court has approved amendments to chapter 31 of the Iowa Court Rules on attorney oaths and affirmations for admission, effective April 1, 2022.

The Chief Justice signed an order adopting amendments to Rule 7.4–Form 1: Report of Referee. The form is temporarily adopted effective immediately and will take permanent effect subject to Legislative Council review consistent with the provisions of Iowa Code section 602.4202. 

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order withdrawing the revised Chapter 2 Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure submitted to Legislative Council, pursuant to Iowa Code section 602.4202, on January 31, 2022. 

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order requesting public comment on proposed amendments to the Iowa Rules of Evidence.  The comment period closes April 16, 2022.

Chief Justice Christensen signed an order discontinuing the mask requirement for people entering court-controlled spaces, with judges retaining discretion to address COVID-related safety measures in proceedings as necessary on a case-by-case basis.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting a revised Chapter 2 Iowa Rules of Criminal Procedure. These rules will take effect on July 1, 2022, subject to Legislative Council review as provided by Iowa Code section 602.4202. This includes criminal cases filed after that date and criminal cases already pending on that date. However, judicial districts or individual district judges may, in the exercise of their discretion, exempt any case that was pending before July 1, 2022, from one or more of the revised rules.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order providing for mandatory mediation or judicial settlement conferences in family law cases where at least one party is represented by counsel.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting an amended memorandum of operation for the Iowa Business Specialty Court. The amended memorandum changes the State Court Administrator's report on the business court from annual to biannual and provides for the appointment of a settlement conference judge in business court cases. No substantive amendments were made to the business court's operation or procedures.

Chief Justice Christensen has signed an order adopting amendments to Chapter 25 of the Iowa Court Rules regarding expanded news media coverage of remote district court proceedings and livestreamed appellate court oral arguments.
 

Chief Justice Christensen signed an order regarding mandatory education for judicial officers and judicial branch staff.