1. A majority of the judges in any judicial district, with the cooperation of any county board of supervisors in the district, may establish a domestic relations division of the district court of the county where the board is located. The division shall offer counseling and related services to persons before the court.
2. The court may on its own motion or upon the motion of a party require the parties to participate in conciliation efforts for a period of sixty days or less following the issuance of an order setting forth the conciliation procedure and the conciliator. In making a determination under this section, the court shall consider all relevant factors including but not limited to whether a history of abuse or violence exists.
3. Every order for conciliation shall require the conciliator to file a written report by a date certain which shall state the conciliation procedures undertaken and such other matters as may have been required by the court. The report shall be a part of the record unless otherwise ordered by the court. Such conciliation procedure may include but is not limited to referrals to the domestic relations division of the court, if established, public or private marriage counselors, family service agencies, community health centers, physicians and clergy.
4. The costs of conciliation procedures shall be paid in full or in part by the parties and taxed as court costs; however, if the court determines that the parties will be unable to pay the costs without prejudicing their financial ability to provide themselves and any minor children with economic necessities, the costs may be paid in full or in part by the county.\n\nTue Dec 09 22:00:11 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 598 (41, 1) §598.16, DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS 10\n\n 5. Persons providing counseling and other services pursuant to this section are not court employees, but are subject to court supervision. [C71, 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, §598.16] 83 Acts, ch 123, §194, 209; 83 Acts, ch 186, §10110, 10201; 93 Acts, ch 54, §11; 2007 Acts, ch 180, §1; 2014 Acts, ch 1107, §18; 2017 Acts, ch 43, §5; 2019 Acts, ch 63, §1 Referred to in §331.424, 598.5, 602.11101 \n
Notes of Decisions
In Re Marriage of Jennerjohn, 203 N.W.2d 237 (Iowa 1972).
· cites it 8× “" Section 598.16, The Code. The same day the court further ordered petitioner to pay the clerk of court $250 toward respondent's legal expenses in the proceeding and issued a temporary injunction restraining petitioner from disposing of any of the moneys or property of either…”
Matter of Est. of Tollefsrud, 275 N.W.2d 412 (Iowa 1979).
· cites it 4× “374 would in effect denigrate the possibility of conciliation between the parties, the process for which is provided in § 598.”
In Re Marriage of Boyd, 200 N.W.2d 845 (Iowa 1972).
· cites it 8× “Section 598.16, The Code. That day the court entered an order on conciliation appointing an Omaha, Nebraska doctor of medicine and an Audubon, Iowa minister as conciliators “for the purpose of determining the possible avenues and any necessary treatment relative to the…”
Wood v. Wood, 338 N.W.2d 123 (Iowa 1983).
· cites it 4× “See Iowa Code §§ 598.16 , .19 (1983) (providing for conciliation procedures and a ninety day pre-decree waiting period).”
Allen v. Lindeman, 148 N.W.2d 610 (Iowa 1967).
· cites it 4× “Henderson, 191 Iowa 819 , 183 N.W. 475 for the proposition that, when a divorce decree is granted, the guilty party is barred from prosecuting an action for alienation of affections, Code, 1966, section 598.”
Jacobsen v. Saner, 72 N.W.2d 900 (Iowa 1955).
· cites it 8× “Due to alleged acts of Saner, while he was living in Minnesota, Josephine Jacobsen was induced to file divorce proceedings, and later she obtained a default decree in Lincoln County, Minnesota. Defendant is now a resident of Buena Vista County,.”
Bearbower v. Merry, 266 N.W.2d 128 (Iowa 1978).
· cites it 2× “A legislature concerned enough to provide for a 60-day compulsory conciliation procedure, § 598.16, The Code, and a 90-day waiting period, § 598.”
Roalson v. Chaney, 334 N.W.2d 754 (Iowa 1983).
· cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 598.16 (1983). Nothing in the language of the statute purports to give one of the spouses an independent tort action against a third person for attempting to influence the other spouse not to reconcile.”
In Re the Marriage of Kimura, 471 N.W.2d 869 (Iowa 1991).
· cites it 2× “Finally, she asked that a conciliator in Japan be appointed pursuant to Iowa Code section 598.16. The record fails to show whether a conciliator was appointed.”
In Re the Marriage of Schroeder, 393 N.W.2d 808 (Iowa 1986).
· cites it 6× “Iowa Code § 598.16 (emphasis added). Carol first defends the trial court’s refusal to order conciliation by asserting Jerome’s demand was not sufficient.”
Sosna v. State of Iowa, 360 F. Supp. 1182 (N.D. Iowa 1973).
· cites it 4× “[7] Iowa Code § 598.16 (1971). [8] See, Whitehead v.”
In Re the Marriage of Smith, 207 N.W.2d 548 (Iowa 1973).
· cites it 10× “On July 22, 1970 petitioner requested conciliation under the provisions of section 598.16. As relevant here, it provides: “The court shall require such parties to undergo conciliation for a period of at least ninety days from the issuance of an order setting forth the…”
— Iowa Code § 598.16(2) — 1 case
— Iowa Code § 598.16(3) — 1 case
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