Iowa Code § 46.16 (2026)
Terms of judges
1. Subject to sections 602.1610 and 602.1612 and to removal for cause:
a. The initial term of office of judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, and district court shall be for one year after appointment and until January 1 following the next judicial election after expiration of such year; and
b. The regular term of office of judges of the supreme court retained at a judicial election shall be eight years, and of judges of the court of appeals and district court so retained shall be six years, from the expiration of their initial or previous regular term as the case may be.
2. Subject to removal for cause, the initial term of office of a district associate judge shall be for one year after appointment and until January 1 following the next judicial election after expiration of such year, and the regular term of office of a district associate judge retained at a judicial election shall be six years from the expiration of the initial or previous regular term, as the case may be.
3. Subject to removal for cause, the initial term of office of a full-time associate juvenile judge or a full-time associate probate judge shall be for one year after appointment and until January 1 following the next judicial election after expiration of such year, and the regular term of office of a full-time associate juvenile judge or a full-time associate probate judge retained at a judicial election shall be six years from the expiration of the initial or previous regular term, as the case may be. [C66, 71, §46.16; C73, 75, 77, 79, §46.16, 602.29; C81, §46.16] 83 Acts, ch 186, §10022, 10201; 99 Acts, ch 93, §1, 15; 2003 Acts, ch 151, §3, 65; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, §22 Referred to in §602.6305, 602.7103C, 633.20C \n