Iowa Code § 232.125 (2026)

1. A family in need of assistance proceeding shall be initiated by the filing of a petition alleging that a child and the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian are a family in need of assistance.

2. Such a petition may be filed by the child’s parent, guardian, or custodian, by the child, or on the court’s own motion as provided in section 232C.2. The judge, county attorney, or juvenile court officer may authorize such parent, guardian, custodian, or child to file a petition with the clerk of the court without the payment of a filing fee.

3. The petition and subsequent court documents shall be entitled as follows: In re the family of .........................

4. The petition shall state all of the following:

a. The names and residences of the child.

b. The names and residences of the child’s living parents, guardian, custodian, and guardian ad litem, if any.

c. The age of the child.

5. The petition shall allege that there has been a breakdown in the familial relationship and that the petitioner has sought services from public or private agencies to maintain and improve the familial relationship. [C79, 81, §232.125] 83 Acts, ch 186, §10055, 10201; 2009 Acts, ch 153, §1; 2015 Acts, ch 30, §78; 2019 Acts, ch 24, §25 Referred to in §232.21, 232C.2, 232C.3 \n