Iowa Family Court Finder

    IA 
    CHILD CUSTODY:
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    Family Court
  
Iowa Family Court Finder
  
Des Moines, Iowa 50317
Iowa Counties

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For detailed information about the family court procedures in your county, including relevant forms, fees, and contact information, please enter your ZIP code. This will direct you to a page providing tailored information about the family court in your area.
Iowa Family Courts
         
                       Polk County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Des Moines)  FIPS: 19153                     - pop.492,401                   
                                
                       Linn County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Cedar Rapids)  FIPS: 19113                     - pop.230,299                   
                                
                       Scott County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Davenport)  FIPS: 19163                     - pop.174,669                   
                                
                       Johnson County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Iowa City)  FIPS: 19103                     - pop.152,854                   
                                
                       Black Hawk County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Waterloo)  FIPS: 19013                     - pop.131,144                   
                                
                       Woodbury County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Sioux City)  FIPS: 19193                     - pop.105,941                   
                                
                       Dallas County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Adel)  FIPS: 19049                     - pop.99,678                   
                                
                       Dubuque County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Dubuque)  FIPS: 19061                     - pop.99,266                   
                                
                       Story County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Nevada)  FIPS: 19169                     - pop.98,537                   
                                
                       Pottawattamie County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Council Bluffs)  FIPS: 19155                     - pop.93,667                   
                                
                       Warren County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Indianola)  FIPS: 19181                     - pop.52,403                   
                                
                       Clinton County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Clinton)  FIPS: 19045                     - pop.46,460                   
                                
                       Muscatine County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Muscatine)  FIPS: 19139                     - pop.43,235                   
                                
                       Cerro Gordo County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Mason City)  FIPS: 19033                     - pop.43,127                   
                                
                       Marshall County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Marshalltown)  FIPS: 19127                     - pop.40,105                   
                                
                       Des Moines County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Burlington)  FIPS: 19057                     - pop.38,910                   
                                
                       Jasper County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Newton)  FIPS: 19099                     - pop.37,813                   
                                
                       Webster County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Fort Dodge)  FIPS: 19187                     - pop.36,999                   
                                
                       Sioux County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Orange City)  FIPS: 19167                     - pop.35,872                   
                                
                       Wapello County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Ottumwa)  FIPS: 19179                     - pop.35,437                   
                                
                       Lee County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Fort Madison)  FIPS: 19111                     - pop.33,555                   
                                
                       Marion County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Knoxville)  FIPS: 19125                     - pop.33,414                   
                                
                       Boone County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Boone)  FIPS: 19015                     - pop.26,715                   
                                
                       Plymouth County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Le Mars)  FIPS: 19149                     - pop.25,698                   
                                
                       Benton County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Vinton)  FIPS: 19011                     - pop.25,575                   
                                
                       Bremer County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Waverly)  FIPS: 19017                     - pop.24,988                   
                                
                       Washington County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Washington)  FIPS: 19183                     - pop.22,565                   
                                
                       Mahaska County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Oskaloosa)  FIPS: 19123                     - pop.22,190                   
                                
                       Buena Vista County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Storm Lake)  FIPS: 19021                     - pop.20,823                   
                                
                       Carroll County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Carroll)  FIPS: 19027                     - pop.20,760                   
                                
                       Jones County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Anamosa)  FIPS: 19105                     - pop.20,646                   
                                
                       Buchanan County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Independence)  FIPS: 19019                     - pop.20,565                   
                                
                       Henry County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Mount Pleasant)  FIPS: 19087                     - pop.20,482                   
                                
                       Winneshiek County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Decorah)  FIPS: 19191                     - pop.20,070                   
                                
                       Fayette County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (West Union)  FIPS: 19065                     - pop.19,509                   
                                
                       Jackson County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Maquoketa)  FIPS: 19097                     - pop.19,485                   
                                
                       Poweshiek County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Montezuma)  FIPS: 19157                     - pop.18,662                   
                                
                       Cedar County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Tipton)  FIPS: 19031                     - pop.18,505                   
                                
                       Dickinson County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Spirit Lake)  FIPS: 19059                     - pop.17,703                   
                                
                       Delaware County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Manchester)  FIPS: 19055                     - pop.17,488                   
                                
                       Tama County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Toledo)  FIPS: 19171                     - pop.17,135                   
                                
                       Clayton County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Elkader)  FIPS: 19043                     - pop.17,043                   
                                
                       Hardin County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Eldora)  FIPS: 19083                     - pop.16,878                   
                                
                       Iowa County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Marengo)  FIPS: 19095                     - pop.16,662                   
                                
                       Madison County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Winterset)  FIPS: 19121                     - pop.16,548                   
                                
                       Crawford County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Denison)  FIPS: 19047                     - pop.16,525                   
                                
                       Clay County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Spencer)  FIPS: 19041                     - pop.16,384                   
                                
                       Jefferson County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Fairfield)  FIPS: 19101                     - pop.15,663                   
                                
                       Floyd County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Charles City)  FIPS: 19067                     - pop.15,627                   
                                
                       Page County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Clarinda)  FIPS: 19145                     - pop.15,211                   
                                
                       Hamilton County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Webster City)  FIPS: 19079                     - pop.15,039                   
                                
                       Kossuth County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Algona)  FIPS: 19109                     - pop.14,828                   
                                
                       Harrison County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Logan)  FIPS: 19085                     - pop.14,582                   
                                
                       Mills County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Glenwood)  FIPS: 19129                     - pop.14,484                   
                                
                       Butler County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Allison)  FIPS: 19023                     - pop.14,334                   
                                
                       OBrien County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Primghar)  FIPS: 19141                     - pop.14,182                   
                                
                       Allamakee County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Waukon)  FIPS: 19005                     - pop.14,061                   
                                
                       Cass County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Atlantic)  FIPS: 19029                     - pop.13,127                   
                                
                       Wright County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Clarion)  FIPS: 19197                     - pop.12,943                   
                                
                       Grundy County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Grundy Center)  FIPS: 19075                     - pop.12,329                   
                                
                       Appanoose County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Centerville)  FIPS: 19007                     - pop.12,317                   
                                
                       Union County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Creston)  FIPS: 19175                     - pop.12,138                   
                                
                       Chickasaw County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (New Hampton)  FIPS: 19037                     - pop.12,012                   
                                
                       Lyon County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Rock Rapids)  FIPS: 19119                     - pop.11,934                   
                                
                       Shelby County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Harlan)  FIPS: 19165                     - pop.11,746                   
                                
                       Cherokee County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Cherokee)  FIPS: 19035                     - pop.11,658                   
                                
                       Louisa County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Wapello)  FIPS: 19115                     - pop.10,837                   
                                
                       Hancock County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Garner)  FIPS: 19081                     - pop.10,795                   
                                
                       Winnebago County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Forest City)  FIPS: 19189                     - pop.10,679                   
                                
                       Guthrie County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Guthrie Center)  FIPS: 19077                     - pop.10,623                   
                                
                       Mitchell County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Osage)  FIPS: 19131                     - pop.10,565                   
                                
                       Montgomery County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Red Oak)  FIPS: 19137                     - pop.10,330                   
                                
                       Keokuk County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Sigourney)  FIPS: 19107                     - pop.10,033                   
                                
                       Franklin County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Hampton)  FIPS: 19069                     - pop.10,019                   
                                
                       Calhoun County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Rockwell City)  FIPS: 19025                     - pop.9,927                   
                                
                       Sac County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Sac City)  FIPS: 19161                     - pop.9,814                   
                                
                       Clarke County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Osceola)  FIPS: 19039                     - pop.9,748                   
                                
                       Humboldt County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Dakota City)  FIPS: 19091                     - pop.9,597                   
                                
                       Howard County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Cresco)  FIPS: 19089                     - pop.9,469                   
                                
                       Emmet County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Estherville)  FIPS: 19063                     - pop.9,388                   
                                
                       Davis County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Bloomfield)  FIPS: 19051                     - pop.9,110                   
                                
                       Palo Alto County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Emmetsburg)  FIPS: 19147                     - pop.8,996                   
                                
                       Greene County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Jefferson)  FIPS: 19073                     - pop.8,771                   
                                
                       Monona County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Onawa)  FIPS: 19133                     - pop.8,751                   
                                
                       Lucas County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Chariton)  FIPS: 19117                     - pop.8,634                   
                                
                       Decatur County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Leon)  FIPS: 19053                     - pop.7,645                   
                                
                       Monroe County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Albia)  FIPS: 19135                     - pop.7,577                   
                                
                       Adair County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Greenfield)  FIPS: 19001                     - pop.7,496                   
                                
                       Worth County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Northwood)  FIPS: 19195                     - pop.7,443                   
                                
                       Van Buren County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Keosauqua)  FIPS: 19177                     - pop.7,203                   
                                
                       Pocahontas County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Pocahontas)  FIPS: 19151                     - pop.7,078                   
                                
                       Ida County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Ida Grove)  FIPS: 19093                     - pop.7,005                   
                                
                       Fremont County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Sidney)  FIPS: 19071                     - pop.6,605                   
                                
                       Wayne County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Corydon)  FIPS: 19185                     - pop.6,497                   
                                
                       Osceola County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Sibley)  FIPS: 19143                     - pop.6,192                   
                                
                       Taylor County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Bedford)  FIPS: 19173                     - pop.5,896                   
                                
                       Audubon County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Audubon)  FIPS: 19009                     - pop.5,674                   
                                
                       Ringgold County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Mount Ayr)  FIPS: 19159                     - pop.4,663                   
                                
                       Adams County Family Court
                   
                   County Seat: (Corning)  FIPS: 19003                     - pop.3,704                   
                            
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Get Help Finding a Iowa Child Custody Lawyer
Get Help Finding a Iowa Child Custody Lawyer
If you want to find a good child custody lawyer, consider starting with these sources:
- Family and friends. Ask people you know and trust whether they have hired a family lawyer in the past -- or if they know someone else who has. If you hear a name once, that could be a starting point. If you hear the same name many times, put that person on your list of lawyers to call.
- Other lawyers. If you know and respect a lawyer who works in another of the law -- for example a business or estate planning lawyer -- ask if they know a good family law attorney (or whether they’re willing to ask around on your behalf).
- Counselors or therapists. If you’re seeing a counselor or therapist -- especially a marriage counselor -- ask for lawyer recommendations.
- Professional associations. If you don't get any good personal referrals, turn to professional associations for family lawyers. Many good family lawyers belong to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). You can also contact the Iowa State Bar Association for family lawyer referrals.
More Information for Iowa Residents

To learn more, including:
- how to find free or low-cost legal assistance, and
- interview questions to ask a professional before you turn over your case
See How to Find a Child Custody Lawyer in Iowa.

Consult With a Iowa Child Custody Attorney

Serving Des Moines, Iowa.

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What Is Physical vs. Legal Custody of a Child?

What Is Physical vs. Legal Custody of a Child?

Every child custody decision has two essential parts:

Physical custody determines where the children will live.

Legal custody refers to the right to make other important decisions for the children—for example, religious upbringing, medical care, and choices about education.

For more details about the different types of child custody and how they fit together, see How Does Child Custody Work in Iowa?

Consult With a Iowa Child Custody Attorney

Serving Des Moines, Iowa.

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What Is Joint vs. Sole Custody of a Child?

What Is Joint vs. Sole Custody of a Child?

While the terms physical custody and legal custody refer to types of decisions affecting your children, “joint custody” and “sole custody” refer to who makes those choices on behalf of the kids.

Joint custody refers to a situation where both parents make decisions.

Sole custody means that just one parent has control.

Note that these two types of custody can be blended, and that joint custody doesn’t necessarily mean a 50/50 split.

For example, parents could be granted joint legal custody—giving them both a say in important decisions about their child’s education, religious training, medical treatment, and the like—while one parent gets sole physical custody, meaning that the child will live with him or her and most likely visit the other.

For more details about the different types of child custody and how they fit together, see How Does Child Custody Work in Iowa?
What Is Split Custody?

What Is Split Custody?

Split custody means that each parent takes primary custody of different kids—think of the film “The Parent Trap,” where the parents separate the twin sisters as babies, raising one in California and one in Boston. Such arrangements are unlikely to lead to Hollywood endings and are usually disfavored, but there are rare situations in which split custody may make sense. For example, if the siblings aren’t close or if a particular child-parent relationship is unusually strained, an unconventional arrangement might be appropriate.

Before you ask for split custody, it’s wise to consult a counselor or custody evaluator—a therapist that specializes in softening the blow of divorce on children by evaluating the family situation and making recommendations. Your lawyer or your local court should be able to help you find a qualified custody evaluator in your area.
About This Website
About This Website
Here at Legal Consumer, we've been busy building websites to get people the legal answers and information they need. Our goal is to guide you to reliable, local information about your options.

We'll be adding new topics over time, but you can currently use our websites to find comprehensive information on:
- Child Custody (this website)
- Bankruptcy
- Unemployment Law
- Minimum Wage & Overtime Law
- Student Loans
- Obamacare (Health Insurance)
- Inheritance Law
On this website, when you choose your state or enter your zip code, you will quickly learn:
- how child custody works in your state
- how to find and use your local family law court
- how judges make custody decisions
- how to find a good child custody lawyer
- how to get help creating parenting plan
- how to enfoce a child custody or visitation order in your state
- and more.
We know that it's stressful to face difficult issues involving your family and we want to make it as easy as possible for you to find the answers you need.

Who We Are

Legal Consumer

Legal Consumer is a company that believes you should have access to quality information about the legal issues affecting your life. Whether you’re facing financial difficulties, family challenges, health concerns, or trouble at your job, we want to help you get the resources you need. Our websites are written by lawyers and designed to give you accurate, relevant information for your location.

Albin Renauer, Owner and Founder

Albin Renauer is an independent web and database developer and Webby Award judge. He first created LegalConsumer.com as an online companion to his book, How to File for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, to help people file for bankruptcy.

After receiving his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School in 1985, Albin worked for various public-interest law firms in the Bay Area and as a staff attorney for Chief Justice Rose Bird of the California Supreme Court. He spent 17 years as an editor at leading do-it-yourself legal publisher Nolo, where he helped create numerous books and software programs, including the bestselling Quicken WillMaker. He also edited Law on the Net, the first online directory of legal resources, and was the architect of Nolo's Webby Award winning website.

Shae Irving, Writer and Editor

Shae Irving has been a legal editor and writer since 1994, when she joined the editorial staff at Nolo, specializing in estate planning, health care, and family law issues. For almost a decade, she was the managing editor of Nolo’s bestselling Quicken WillMaker software. Her books include Living Wills and Powers of Attorney for California and Prenuptial Agreements: How to Write a Fair and Lasting Contract. Shae graduated from Berkeley Law and briefly practiced at a large San Francisco law firm before becoming an editor and author. She began working with Legal Consumer in 2013.