Iowa Answer to a Complaint
In Iowa your answer is due within 20 days of the original notice under R. Civ. P. 1.303(1). DocDraft drafts it, attorney review available.
Introduction
An Iowa Answer to a Complaint is the written pleading you file with the clerk of the Iowa District Court after you are served with the original notice and the plaintiff's petition. It admits or denies the petition's allegations, raises the affirmative defenses you intend to rely on, and, if you have a related claim, includes a counterclaim. Iowa frames the deadline around the original notice rather than a summons. Under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.303(1), you must serve, and within a reasonable time after that file, a motion or answer within 20 days after the original notice and petition are served on you. There is no statewide general civil answer form, so the answer is a typed pleading that carries a caption meeting Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.411, filed electronically through the Iowa Judicial Branch EDMS system under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302. The track matters. A small claims case has its own appearance procedure, and a forcible entry and detainer eviction has no written answer at all because the court sets a hearing instead. Miss the 20-day window and you can be put in default under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.971(1), after which a default judgment can be entered. DocDraft drafts an Iowa-formatted answer from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
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Key Things to Know
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Your deadline is 20 days from the original notice. Under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.303(1) you must serve, and within a reasonable time after that file, a motion or answer within 20 days after the original notice and petition are served on you. Iowa counts these as calendar days.
- 2
There is no statewide general civil answer form. For a general civil case you type the answer as a pleading and give it a caption that complies with Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.411. Small claims cases use a separate Appearance and Answer form (eForm 3.11) mailed with the original notice.
- 3
Small claims runs on a 20-day appearance, not a paper answer alone. In a small claims case of $6,500 or less, the clerk mails an answer form with the original notice, and Iowa Code 631.4(1) requires the defendant to appear within twenty days after service, otherwise default may be entered for failure to appear.
- 4
An eviction case has no written answer deadline. In a forcible entry and detainer (eviction) action, Iowa Code 648.5(1)(a) directs the court to set a hearing no later than eight days from filing, or up to fifteen days if the plaintiff requests, and you appear at that hearing rather than filing a written answer.
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Filing is electronic and free. The answer filing fee is $0, and Iowa requires e-filing through the Iowa Judicial Branch EDMS under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, with limited exceptions for self-represented filers. If you cannot pay other court costs, you can file an Application and Affidavit to Defer Payment of Costs.
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A related claim may be compulsory. Under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.241 a counterclaim that arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject of the plaintiff's claim is compulsory and must be raised in your answer, or you can lose the right to bring it later.
- 7
Know the Iowa debt defenses. The statute of limitations is ten years on a written contract and five years on an unwritten contract under Iowa Code 614.1, and other common affirmative defenses include accord and satisfaction, discharge in bankruptcy, estoppel, and fraud.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Answer to a Complaint in Iowa, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Answer to a Complaint guide walks through them.
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Iowa Requirements for Answer to a Complaint
20-Day Answer Deadline
In a general civil case you must serve, and within a reasonable time after that file, a motion or answer within 20 days after the original notice and petition are served on you, under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.303(1). Iowa counts these as calendar days. A small claims defendant must instead appear within twenty days of service under Iowa Code 631.4(1).
Typed Pleading, No Statewide Form
There is no required statewide general civil answer form, so you type the answer as a pleading. Small claims cases use a separate Appearance and Answer form (eForm 3.11) that the clerk mails with the original notice, and returning it is how the defendant appears.
District Court Caption
Caption the answer for the Iowa District Court in the county where the case is pending, with a caption that complies with Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.411. Include the court, the parties' names, the case number, and the title Defendant's Answer.
E-File Through EDMS
File your answer with the clerk of the Iowa District Court. Iowa requires electronic filing through the Iowa Judicial Branch Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) under Iowa Ct. R. 16.302, with limited exceptions for self-represented litigants.
Serve a Copy on the Plaintiff
Under Iowa Ct. R. 16.315, EDMS serves your answer electronically on registered parties. If a party is exempt from e-filing or not registered, you serve a copy by mail or delivery, and keep proof of service.
No Answer Fee, Waiver Available
The fee to file an answer in Iowa is $0. If you cannot afford other court costs, file an Application and Affidavit to Defer Payment of Costs based on inability to pay, available through the Iowa Judicial Branch court forms.
Affirmative Defenses
State each affirmative defense you intend to rely on, such as statute of limitations, accord and satisfaction, discharge in bankruptcy, estoppel, or fraud. The statute of limitations is ten years on a written contract and five years on an unwritten contract under Iowa Code 614.1.
Compulsory Counterclaim If Any
Under Iowa R. Civ. P. 1.241, a counterclaim that arises out of the transaction or occurrence that is the subject matter of the plaintiff's claim is compulsory and must be raised in your answer, or you can lose the right to bring it later.