Polk County District Court, Iowa Chambers Communication Rules

CRITICAL

The Judicial Assistant must contact the Clerk of Court with the waiver order and petition to initiate a criminal case.

The Judicial Assistant shall contact the Clerk of Court with a copy of the waiver order and the petition and a criminal case will be immediately opened.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone to duty judge

Calls concerning emergency judicial business in Polk County must be placed to the judge on duty through the judge’s home number or a cell phone provided through Des Moines Police Dispatch.

In Polk County, calls for mental health and substance abuse commitments, search warrants and other emergency judicial business shall be placed to the judge at his or her home number or on a cell phone provided for that purpose through Des Moines Police Dispatch.

CRITICAL

A special jury pool may be used only after consultation with and authorization from the Chief Judge or Assistant Chief Judge.

C. Special jury pools shall be utilized only after consultation with and authorization from the Chief Judge or Assistant Chief Judge.

CRITICAL

Contact

Phone

Phone

Polk County 515-286-3930 or Rural Case Coordinator 515-286-3859

If this case is settled before trial, the parties/counsel shall immediately notify the Family Law Case Coordinator (Polk County 515-286-3930 or Rural Case Coordinator 515-286-3859) and shall submit a Decree to the Court for approval within thirty (30) days of settlement.

If this case is settled before trial, the parties/counsel shall immediately notify the Family Law Case Coordinator (Polk County 515-286-3930 or Rural Case Coordinator 515-286-3859) and shall submit a Decree to the Court for approval within thirty (30) days of settlement.

CRITICALCriminal cases

If neither docket is available, the Fel. CC must contact the Civil Case Coordinator to reassign the conference to a civil-bench judge.

if neither DCC2 nor DCC3 are available, the Fel. CC shall contact the Civil Case Coordinator who shall reassign the PTC or Final STC to a judge assigned to the civil bench, consistent with the prioritization set forth in Administrative Order 2025-44.

WARNING

If the reporter cannot or will not provide daily copy, the trial judge should communicate that decision to counsel.

If the court reporter is not willing or unable to provide daily copy, that decision should be communicated by the trial judge to counsel.

WARNING

Counsel should direct daily-copy requests to the assigned trial judge, who confers with the reporter; requests should be made by the final pretrial conference or, if none is scheduled, at least ten days before trial.

A request for daily copy during a trial should be directed to the assigned trial judge, not the official court reporter. The judge shall confer with the court reporter, who will be given the opportunity to agree to provide daily copy, refuse the request or provide an alternative to daily copy via technology such as real-time reporting. Any request for daily copy should be made no later than the time of the final pretrial conference, or ten (10) days prior to trial if a final pretrial conference has not been scheduled.