What Happens After Filing for Divorce in Iowa

You filed your petition through EDMS, the clerk accepted it, and you have a case number. Now what? The filing itself is just the starting gun. A series of mandatory steps follows, each with its own deadline, and missing any one of them can stall or dismiss your case.

Step 1: Serve Your Spouse (Within 90 Days)

Your first deadline starts immediately. Under Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 1.302, you must formally serve the petition and Original Notice on your spouse within 90 days of the filing date.

The fastest route is Acceptance of Service (Form 105 or 205) — your spouse signs the form acknowledging receipt, and you upload it to EDMS. If your spouse will not sign voluntarily, you send a county sheriff ($40 to $75) or hire a private process server.

The date of service is critical because it starts two separate clocks: the 20-day response deadline and the 90-day waiting period.

Step 2: Wait for the Response (20 Days After Service)

Once served, your spouse has 20 days to file an Answer or other responsive motion through EDMS. If served out of state by mail, the deadline extends to 60 days.

Three things can happen:

Your spouse files an Answer agreeing to your terms. The case stays uncontested and moves directly to the settlement paperwork.

Your spouse files a contested Answer. The case shifts to the contested track, which typically involves discovery, mandatory mediation (in many judicial districts), and potentially a trial. This extends the timeline from months to a year or more.

Your spouse does not respond. After the 20-day window expires, you can pursue a default decree. File a Notice of Intent to File Written Application for Default Decree (Form 126), wait 10 additional days, then move for a default judgment.

Step 3: Complete the Mandatory Parenting Class (Within 45 Days of Service)

If your case involves minor children, both parents must complete an approved 4-hour parenting education program within 45 days of the date of service. The most common program is "Children in the Middle," offered by various approved vendors across Iowa's eight judicial districts. Costs range from $45 to $65 per parent.

Two important details:

• The court cannot sign a final decree until both parents' completion certificates are filed on the EDMS docket, unless it waives the class for documented good cause. If your spouse does not complete the class and no waiver is granted, the case stalls.
• If you file in Polk or Dallas County, children between ages 6 and 16 must also attend a separate 2-hour workshop through the Iowa Center for Children's Justice.

Check with your local Clerk of District Court to confirm which specific providers are approved in your judicial district. Some rural districts do not accept fully self-paced online courses — they require in-person or live Zoom attendance.

Step 4: Exchange Financial Affidavits

Both spouses are required under Iowa Code Section 598.13 to file a sworn Financial Affidavit (Form 124 or 224) disclosing all income, monthly expenses, assets, and debts. This is mandatory even in fully uncontested cases.

The financial affidavit is filed under oath through EDMS. Omitting assets or underreporting income is perjury and can invalidate the final decree.

Completing this step accurately is essential for negotiating the settlement agreement. If both spouses have a clear picture of the marital finances, the negotiation over property division and support becomes substantially easier.

Step 5: Negotiate and Sign the Settlement Agreement

During the 90-day waiting period, both spouses work out the terms of the dissolution — property division, debt allocation, spousal support, and (if applicable) custody, parenting schedules, and child support.

If you reach agreement, both spouses sign the Settlement Agreement (Form 128 or 228). This document is the backbone of the final decree and must cover every issue.

If you cannot reach agreement on one or more issues, many judicial districts require mandatory mediation before the court will schedule a trial. Even in districts where mediation is not required, it is often the most cost-effective way to resolve remaining disputes.

Step 6: Submit the Final Decree (After Day 90)

Once the 90-day waiting period has expired and all requirements are met — settlement agreement signed, financial affidavits filed, parenting certificates on the docket — you submit the final package through EDMS:

• Settlement Agreement (Form 128 or 228)
• Request for Relief (Form 127 or 227)
• Proposed Decree of Dissolution of Marriage

A District Court judge reviews the file. Under Iowa Code Section 598.8, if everything is in order and the settlement divides property and custody equitably, the judge signs the decree electronically. No court hearing is required for uncontested cases.

The Iowa Divorce Filing Process Guide maps this entire sequence with a waiting-period calendar and filing document tracker, so you can manage each deadline from service through the final decree without wondering what comes next.

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