# Iowa Rules of Appellate Procedure, official September 30, 2026 collection Updated October 27, 2026 Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. Official source text retained on collection date; source versions and later amendments must remain visible. No exhaustive certification of current legal effect. [Official source](https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/ACO/CourtRulesChapter/09-30-2026.6.pdf) · Collected 2026-10-27 ## Rule 6.1002 Motions. 6.1002(1) Motions in supreme court and court of appeals. All motions and supporting documents on appeal must be filed with the clerk of the supreme court as provided in rule 6.701 and served as provided in rule 6.702. A motion must: a. Prominently display beneath the title of the motion the date of any impending hearing, trial, or matter needing immediate attention of the court. If the filing requires expedited consideration, the filing party must state the circumstances in the special filing instructions to the clerk of the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.204 Filing fee and transmission of the record. Within seven days after filing the notice of appeal, the appellant must pay the filing fee as provided in rule 6.703(1) or request waiver or deferral of the fee pursuant to rule 6.703(2). Within 30 days after the filing of the notice of appeal, the appellant must request the clerk of the district court to transmit the record to the clerk of the supreme court and file an informational copy with the clerk of the supreme court. The clerk of the district court must certify the record and its confidential nature. 6.204(1) Record on appeal in child in need of assistance proceedings. In appeals from child in need of assistance proceedings, the record on appeal will include: a. The child in need of assistance court file, including all exhibits. b. Any transcript of a hearing or hearings resulting in the order from which an appeal has been taken. 6.204(2) Record on appeal in termination of parental rights proceedings. In appeals from termination of parental rights proceedings, the record on appeal includes: a. The termination of parental rights court file, including all exhibits. b. Those portions of the child in need of assistance court file either received as exhibits or judicially noticed in the termination proceeding. c. The transcript of the termination of parental rights hearing. 6.204(3) Record on appeal of posttermination rulings in termination of parental rights proceedings. In appeals from posttermination rulings in termination of parental rights proceedings, the record on appeal includes: a. The termination of parental rights court file, including all exhibits. b. Any motion, resistance, or transcript relevant to the posttermination order from which the appeal is taken. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; July 20, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.701 Filing. 6.701(1) Filing with clerk of supreme court. Documents required or permitted to be filed in the supreme court or in the court of appeals must be filed with the clerk of the supreme court. All documents required to be served upon a party must be filed with the court before or at the time of service or within a reasonable time thereafter. Whenever these rules require a filing with the supreme court or its clerk within a certain time, the time requirement is tolled once service is made, provided the actual filing is done within a reasonable time thereafter. Documents received by the clerk of the supreme court without a certificate of service are deemed filed when received by the clerk. 6.701(2) Emailing or faxing documents does not constitute electronic filing. Emailing or faxing a document to the clerk of the supreme court or to an appellate court will not generate a file stamp or a notice of electronic filing and will not result in the filing of the document. See Iowa Rs. Elec. P. 16.201(23), 16.306. Documents transmitted to the clerk of the supreme court or to an appellate court by fax or email will only be filed if the party is authorized to submit the document in that manner under rule 6.1(3). Documents transmitted by fax or email may only be transmitted pursuant to a prior arrangement with the clerk of the supreme court. Failure to comply with the submission requirements may result in the imposition of sanctions: the document transmitted may be stricken or deemed not filed, the appeal or review may be dismissed, or other appropriate action may be taken. Faxed documents are subject to a fee of $3 per page, excluding the cover page. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; June 29, 2009; November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.702 Service. 6.702(1) Filer’s duty to ensure service. Documents filed with the clerk of the supreme court must be served on all other parties to the appeal or review and on any nonparty required to be served by these rules unless the appropriate appellate court orders otherwise. The filer must ensure that all required service is accomplished pursuant to Iowa Rules of Electronic Procedure 16.315 and 16.319(1)(c). 6.702(2) Electronic service on registered filers. Filed documents are electronically served pursuant to Iowa Rule of Electronic Procedure 16.315(1). Electronic service is not effective if the filer learns that the notice of electronic filing was not transmitted to a party. 6.702(3) Service of paper copies on nonregistered parties. The filer must serve nonregistered or excused filers and not-yet-registered filers in paper pursuant to Iowa Rule of Electronic Procedure 16.315(2). A certificate of service must be filed for all documents not served by EDMS pursuant to Iowa Rule of Electronic Procedure 16.316. 6.702(4) Service on court reporters. Required service on a court reporter must be made by email, mail, fax, or hand-delivery. 6.702(5) Additional time after service. Whenever a party is required or permitted to do an act within a prescribed period after service of a document upon that party and the document is served by mail, email, or fax transmission, three days will be added to the prescribed period. Such additional time is not applicable when the deadline runs from entry or filing of a judgment, order, decree, or opinion. [Court Order November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.902 Cases involving expedited times for filing briefs. e. Criminal proceedings in which an appeal is taken from a judgment and sentence entered upon a guilty plea or from a sentence or resentencing order only. f. Juvenile proceedings affecting child placement. g. Lawyer disciplinary matters. h. Involuntary commitments of mentally ill persons under Iowa Code chapter 229. i. Involuntary commitments of persons with substance use disorders under Iowa Code chapter 125. j. Certified questions under Iowa Code chapter 684A. 6.902(2) Filing deadlines. a. The time for serving and filing briefs, other than reply briefs, is reduced by one-half of the time provided in rule 6.901(1). b. Reply briefs, except an appellee/cross-appellant’s reply brief, must be served and filed not more than 15 days after service or expiration of the time for service of the appellee’s brief. c. An appellee/cross-appellant’s reply brief must be served and filed not more than seven days after service of the appellant’s/cross-appellee’s reply brief. d. The court will not grant extensions of time in which to comply with the expedited deadlines except upon a showing of the most unusual and compelling circumstances. 6.902(3) Priority. Each case subject to rule 6.902 will be given the highest priority at all stages of the appellate process. These appeals will be accorded submission precedence over other civil cases. 6.902(4) Transcripts. Court reporters must give priority to transcription of proceedings in these cases. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; January 26, 2024; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1007 Format and contents of motions and other filings. 6.1007(1) Format. Motions and other related filings must show clear black text or images on a white background on an 8 1/2 by 11 inch document. If filed in paper, they may be reproduced by any process that yields a clear black image on white paper. The paper must be opaque and unglazed. Unless handwritten, the text must be double-spaced, but quotations more than 50 words long may be indented and single-spaced. Margins must be one inch on all sides. Page numbers must be located at the bottom center of each page. Typeface must conform to rule 6.903(1)(g). Paper filings must comply with Iowa Rule of Electronic Procedure 16.303. 6.1007(2) Contents. A motion or other similar filing addressed to an appellate court must contain a caption setting forth the name of the court, the title of the case, the file number, a brief descriptive title indicating the purpose of the filing, and the name, address, telephone number, and email address of counsel or self-represented party. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1204 Petition for rehearing in the court of appeals. 6.1204(4) Response. No response to a petition for rehearing will be received unless requested by the court of appeals. 6.1204(5) Action by court of appeals. a. Oral argument in support of a petition for rehearing not permitted. b. If the petition for rehearing is not expressly granted or denied by the court of appeals within seven days after the petition is filed, the petition will be deemed denied. Upon request of the court of appeals within the seven-day period, the supreme court may grant an extension not to exceed seven days for the court of appeals to rule upon the petition. c. If the petition for rehearing is granted, the decision of the court of appeals is vacated and the court of appeals retains jurisdiction of the case. The court of appeals may dispose of the case with or without oral argument, order resubmission, or enter any other appropriate order. The decision after rehearing will be subject to further review as provided in Iowa Code section 602.4102(4). 6.1204(6) Stay of pending application of further review. Upon motion of a party or request of the court of appeals, the supreme court may stay any pending application for further review for consecutive periods of up to 30 days during the pendency of a petition for rehearing. 6.1204(7) Form of petition. The petition for rehearing must be in the form prescribed by rule 6.903(1). Except by permission of the court of appeals, a petition for rehearing may not exceed one-fifth of the length limitations for a required brief specified in rule 6.903(1)(i). [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1205 Petition for rehearing in the supreme court. 6.1205(1) Time for filing. A petition for rehearing must be filed within 14 days after the filing of the supreme court opinion unless the time is shortened or enlarged by order of that court. A party may not file a petition for rehearing from an order denying an application for further review. 6.1205(2) Content and form of petition for rehearing. The petition must state with particularity the points of law or fact that in the opinion of the petitioner the supreme court has overlooked or misapprehended. The petition must be in the form prescribed by rule 6.903(1). Except by permission of the supreme court, a petition for rehearing may not exceed one-fifth of the length limitations for a required brief specified in rule 6.903(1)(i). 6.1205(3) Response. A response to a petition for rehearing is not permitted unless requested by the supreme court, but a petition for rehearing will ordinarily not be granted in the absence of such a request. 6.1205(4) No oral argument. Oral argument in support of a petition for rehearing is not permitted. 6.1205(5) Supreme court action. If a petition for rehearing is granted, the supreme court may make a final disposition of the case with or without oral argument, order resubmission, or enter any other appropriate order. The supreme court may deny the rehearing but simultaneously amend the opinion. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1003 Motions to shorten or extend deadlines. 6.1003(1) Jurisdictional deadlines. a. Notices of appeal. The supreme court may not extend the deadline for filing a notice of appeal except as provided in rule 6.101(5). b. Applications for interlocutory appeal. The supreme court may not extend the deadline for filing an application for interlocutory appeal except as provided in rule 6.104(1)(b)(3). c. Applications for discretionary review. The supreme court may not extend the deadline for filing an application for discretionary review except as provided in rule 6.106(1)(b). d. Petitions for writ of certiorari. The supreme court may not extend the deadline for filing a petition for writ of certiorari except as provided in rule 6.107(1)(b). e. Applications for further review. The court of appeals may not extend the deadline for filing an application for further review except as provided in Iowa Code section 602.4102(5). The supreme court may not extend the deadline for filing an application for further review. 6.1003(2) All other deadlines. The appropriate appellate court may upon its own motion or upon motion of a party for good cause shorten or extend a nonjurisdictional deadline set by these rules or by an order of the court. In cases where the expedited deadlines of rule 6.902 apply, the motion must so state. Good cause for an extension includes, but is not limited to, illness of counsel, unavailability of counsel due to unusual and compelling circumstances, unavailability of a necessary transcript or other portion of the record due to circumstances beyond the control of counsel, or a reasonably good possibility of settlement within the time as extended. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1006 Motions to dismiss, affirm, or reverse. or senior judge may overrule, but only a quorum of the appropriate appellate court may sustain, a motion to reverse. 6.1006(4) Excluding time. The time between the service of a motion to dismiss, affirm, or reverse and an order overruling the motion or ordering its submission with the appeal will be excluded in measuring the time within which subsequent acts required by these rules must be done. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; November 18, 2016, effective March 1, 2017; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.1004 Limited remands. The appropriate appellate court may on its own motion or on motion of a party remand a pending appeal to the district court, which will have jurisdiction to proceed as the appellate court directs. Jurisdiction of the appeal otherwise remains with the remanding appellate court. A motion for limited remand must be filed as soon as the grounds for the motion become apparent. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.203 Reply to issues raised in cross-appeal. If a notice of cross-appeal is filed, the appellant may file a reply to the cross-appeal within seven days after service of the appellee’s response. An appellant may not file a reply if the appellee has not filed a notice of cross-appeal. [Court Order October 31, 2008, effective January 1, 2009; September 29, 2023, effective April 1, 2024] Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. ## Rule 6.703 Filing fees and copies. 6.703(1) Filing fees. a. Appeal or cross-appeal from final order or judgment. The fee for filing a notice of appeal from a final order or judgment is $150. The appellant must pay the fee to the clerk of the supreme court within seven days after filing the notice of appeal. If any party files a notice of cross-appeal, the fee is $150. The cross-appellant must pay the fee to the clerk of the supreme court within seven days after filing the notice of cross-appeal. If the appropriate appellate court determines the appeal or cross-appeal is not from a final order or judgment, the clerk will not refund any part of the filing fee. b. Application for interlocutory appeal. The fee for filing an application for interlocutory appeal is $100. The applicant must pay the fee to the clerk of the supreme court at the time the Iowa Supreme Court and Court of Appeals proceedings only. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule.