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Rule 1.442.Service and filing of pleadings and other papers

Division IV: Pleadings and Motions · Last amended January 11, 2010 · Last verified July 15, 2026

In one sentenceRule 1.442 spells out who must be served with what in an Iowa civil case, how service is accomplished by delivery, mail, fax, or email with written consent, when and how papers are filed with the clerk, and the certificate of service every filed paper must carry.

Full Text of Rule 1.442

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1.442(1) When service is required. Unless the court otherwise orders, everything required to be filed by the rules in this chapter; every order required by its terms to be served; every pleading subsequent to the original petition; every paper relating to discovery; every written motion including one which may be heard ex parte; and every written notice, appearance, demand, offer of judgment, and similar paper shall be served upon each of the parties. No service need be made on any party against whom a default has been entered except that pleadings asserting new or additional claims for relief against the party shall be served upon the party in the manner provided for service of original notice in rule 1.305. In an action begun by seizure of property, in which no person need be or is named as defendant, any service required to be made prior to the filing of an answer, claim, or appearance shall be made upon the person having custody or possession of the property at the time of its seizure.
(2) How service is made. Service upon a party represented by an attorney shall be made upon the attorney unless service upon the party is ordered by the court. Service on an attorney who has made a limited appearance for a party shall constitute valid service on the represented party only in connection with the specific proceedings for which the attorney has appeared, including any hearing or trial at which the attorney appeared. Service shall be made by delivering, mailing, or transmitting by fax (facsimile) a copy to the attorney or to the party at the attorney's or party's last known address or, if no address is known, by leaving it with the clerk of court. Delivery within this rule means: handing it to the attorney or to the party; leaving it at the attorney's or party's office; or, if the office is closed or the person to be served has no office, leaving it at the attorney's or party's dwelling house or usual place of abode with some person of suitable age and discretion residing therein. Service by mail is complete upon mailing.
Service may also be made upon a party or attorney by electronic mail (e-mail) if the person consents in writing in that case to be served in that manner. The written consent shall specify the e-mail address for such service. The written consent may be withdrawn by written notice served on all other parties or attorneys. Service by electronic means is complete upon transmission, unless the party making service learns that the attempted service did not reach the person to be served.
(3) Same: numerous defendants. In any action in which there are unusually large numbers of defendants, the court, upon motion or of its own initiative, may order that service of the pleadings of the defendants and replies thereto need not be made as between the defendants and that any cross-claim, counterclaim, or matter constituting an avoidance or affirmative defense contained therein shall be deemed to be denied or avoided by all other parties and that the filing of any such pleading and service thereof upon the plaintiff constitutes due notice of it to the parties. A copy of every such order shall be served upon the parties in such manner and form as the court directs.
(4) Filing. Except as provided in rule 1.502, all papers after the petition required to be served upon a party shall be filed with the court either before service or within a reasonable time thereafter;
however, no party shall file legal briefs or memoranda, except in support of or resistance to a motion for summary judgment, unless expressly ordered by the court. Such briefs and memoranda shall be served upon the parties with an original copy delivered to the presiding judge. The party submitting the legal brief or memoranda shall file a statement certifying compliance with this rule. Whenever these rules or the rules of appellate procedure require a filing with the district court or its clerk within a certain time, the time requirement shall be tolled when service is made, provided the actual filing is done within a reasonable time thereafter.
(5) Filing with the court defined. The filing of pleadings and other papers with the court as required by these rules shall be made by filing them with the clerk of the court, except that a judicial officer may permit them to be filed with the judicial officer, who shall note thereon the filing date and time and forthwith transmit them to the office of the clerk.
(6) Notice of orders or judgments. Immediately upon the entry of an order or judgment the clerk shall serve a notice of the entry by mail in the manner provided for in this rule upon each party except a party against whom a default has been entered and shall make a note in the docket of the mailing. In the event a case involves an appeal or review relating to an administrative agency, officer, commissioner, board, administrator, or judge, the clerk shall mail without cost to the applicable administrative agency, officer, commissioner, board, administrator, or judge a copy of any remand order, final judgment or decision in the case and a copy of any procedendo from the supreme court.
Such mailing is sufficient notice for all purposes for which notice of the entry of an order is required by the rules in this chapter; but any party may in addition serve a notice of such entry in the manner provided in this rule for the service of papers. Lack of notice of the entry by the clerk does not affect the time to appeal or relieve or authorize the district court to relieve a party for failure to appeal within the time allowed.
(7) Certificate of service. All papers required or permitted to be served or filed shall include a certificate of service. Action shall not be taken on any paper until a certificate of service is filed in the clerk's office. The certificate shall identify the document served and include the date, manner of service, names and addresses of the persons served. The certificate shall be signed by the person making service. Unless ordered by the court, no other proof of service shall be filed.
End

Comment

Rule 1.442(2) authorizes service by facsimile transmission and deletes archaic and unnecessary language regarding service by delivery to a clerk or person in charge of an office which is not closed. Rule 1.442(7) clarifies that all documents served or filed shall include a certificate of service, that proofs of service shall not be filed

regarding documents that are not to be filed, and it sets forth the requirements of a certificate of service and prohibits the filing of other proofs of service unless ordered by the Court.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 1.442(1) casts a wide net over what must be served: nearly everything required to be filed under these rules, every court-ordered service of an order, every pleading after the original petition, every discovery paper, every written motion (even one that can be heard ex parte), and every notice, appearance, demand, or offer of judgment must be served on each party. A defaulted party generally doesn't need to be served, except with pleadings that assert new or additional claims against it, which must be served the way an original notice would be. In actions begun by seizing property with no named defendant, pre-answer service goes to whoever had custody of the property when it was seized.

Rule 1.442(2) covers how service is made: on a represented party's attorney unless the court orders service on the party directly, with an attorney who made a limited appearance only bound to accept service tied to the specific proceeding for which they appeared. Service happens by delivering, mailing, or faxing a copy to the attorney's or party's last known address, or by leaving it with the clerk if no address is known; delivery means handing it over, leaving it at the office, or, if the office is closed or there is none, leaving it at the dwelling with someone of suitable age and discretion. Mail service is complete the moment it's mailed. Email service is also allowed, but only if the person being served has consented in writing to that method and specified the email address, and that consent can be withdrawn; service by email is complete upon transmission, unless the sender learns the attempt didn't reach the recipient.

The remaining subrules round out the mechanics. Rule 1.442(3) lets a court, in cases with unusually large numbers of defendants, excuse the defendants from serving each other and treat their cross-claims and defenses as denied by all other parties. Rule 1.442(4) generally requires papers to be filed before service or within a reasonable time afterward, tolling filing deadlines while service is being completed, so long as the actual filing follows within a reasonable time. Rule 1.442(6) requires the clerk to mail notice of every order or judgment's entry to each appearing party, though lack of that notice doesn't extend an appeal deadline. And Rule 1.442(7) requires a certificate of service on every paper — identifying the document, the date, the manner of service, and the names and addresses of everyone served — with no action taken on a filing until that certificate is on file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has to be served when I file a motion in an Iowa civil case?

Every party to the action, generally through their attorney if they're represented. A defaulted party doesn't need to be served, except with pleadings asserting new or additional claims against it.

Can I serve the other side's lawyer by email?

Yes, but only if the attorney has consented in writing to be served that way and has specified the email address to use. That consent can later be withdrawn by written notice.

When is service by mail considered complete?

Immediately upon mailing, under Rule 1.442(2).

What happens if I serve a paper but don't file it right away?

Rule 1.442(4) generally requires filing before service or within a reasonable time afterward, and it tolls any filing deadline while service is being made, provided the actual filing follows within a reasonable time.

What must a certificate of service include?

Under Rule 1.442(7), it must identify the document served, the date, the manner of service, and the names and addresses of the people served, and it must be signed by the person who made service.

Source & verification. Rule text and the Comment are reproduced verbatim from the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court. Last verified July 15, 2026. · Official source
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