Des Moines, Iowa — A number of changes have been made to the court system and legal situations to deal with issues brought on by the COVID-19 situation.
Access to courthouses is very limited. The Iowa Judicial Branch is telling people to call their clerk of court for more information.
There are also things to keep in mind in regard to child custody and visitation orders. For instance, the school closures resulting from COVID-19 are not considered extended spring break or early summer vacation and do not result in changes to the parenting schedule unless the changes have been mutually agreed on by both parents.
Court debt rules are also being relaxed during this time, and accounts will not be deemed delinquent if not paid within 30 days after the date the debt was assessed, set out in court order, or due in an installment agreement.
In certain circumstances during this pandemic, the court has ruled that electronic or attorney signatures for clients are permissible.
Criminal trials are also postponed. The 90-day speedy trial clock and the one-year speedy trial clock is not to start on any criminal case until April 20th.
If you have questions, you can contact the Iowa Judicial Branch, your clerk of court, or an attorney. You can also click here for the full release with more information.
