Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 598.19 (2026)

Waiting period before decree

✓ current as of July 2026
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No decree dissolving a marriage shall be granted in any proceeding before ninety days shall have elapsed from the day the original notice is served, or from the last day of publication of notice, or from the date that waiver or acceptance of original notice is filed or until after any court-ordered conciliation is completed, whichever period shall be longer. However, the court may in its discretion, on written motion supported by affidavit setting forth grounds of emergency or necessity and facts which satisfy the court that immediate action is warranted or required to protect the substantive rights or interests of any party or person who might be affected by the decree, hold a hearing and grant a decree dissolving the marriage prior to the expiration of the applicable period, provided that requirements of notice have been complied with. In such case the grounds of emergency or necessity and the facts with respect thereto shall be recited in the decree unless otherwise ordered by the court. The court may enter an order finding the respondent in default and waiving any court-ordered conciliation when the respondent has failed to file an appearance within the time set forth in the original notice. [C58, 62, 66, §598.25; C71, 73, 75, §598.16, 598.19; C77, 79, 81, §598.19] 2019 Acts, ch 63, §2 Referred to in §598.8

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1950–2022 · leading case: Planned Parenthood of the Heartland & Jill Meadows v. Kimberly K. Reynolds ex rel. State of Iowa & Iowa Bd. of Med., 915 N.W.2d 206 (Iowa 2018).
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland & Jill Meadows v. Kimberly K. Reynolds ex rel. State of Iowa & Iowa Bd. of Med., 915 N.W.2d 206 (Iowa 2018). · cites it 2× “The legislature mandated waiting periods to ensure these important life decisions were made after time for reflection.”
Bearbower v. Merry, 266 N.W.2d 128 (Iowa 1978). · cites it 2× “16, The Code, and a 90-day waiting period, § 598.19, The Code, might well perceive the desirability of any deterrent to unjustified third-party meddling during those periods in order to permit the parties to work out their differences.”
Jensen v. Jensen, 147 N.W.2d 612 (Iowa 1967). · cites it 4× “Section 598.19, Code of Iowa, provides that a marriage may be annulled "[w]here either party was mentally ill * * * at the time of the marriage.”
In re the Marriage of Hobart, 375 N.W.2d 290 (Iowa Ct. App. 1985). · cites it 8× “We determine that the trial court did not abuse its discretion when that court found the respondent to be in default and waived conciliation pursuant to section 598.19. The default was taken 40 days after service of the petition on respondent.”
Rogers v. Webb, 558 N.W.2d 155 (Iowa 1997). “§ 598.19 (providing a waiting period prior to the granting of a dissolution decree); Iowa Code of Prof 1 Responsibility for Lawyers DR 2-106(C) (1993) (prohibiting a contingent fee arrangement in domestic relations cases); id.”
DeWall v. Rhoderick, 138 N.W.2d 124 (Iowa 1965). · cites it 2× “” *436 Section 598.19, Code, 1962, provides: “Marriage may be annulled for the following causes: * * * 3.”
Pickard v. Pickard, 45 N.W.2d 269 (Iowa 1950). · cites it 2× “Section 598.19, Code of 1946, among other things, refers to the annulment of marriage where either party had a husband or wife living at the time of the marriage.”
Koehler v. Koehler, 79 N.W.2d 791 (Iowa 1956). · cites it 2× “Section 598.19, Codes, 1950, 1954.) Defendants insist the attorney was seen without their knowledge and they cautioned Stanley to go slow in starting any annulment action.”
In Re the Marriage of Jason Blaine Pierce & Celice Leeann Vanderlinden Upon the Petition of Jason Blaine Pierce, & Concerning Celice Leeann Vanderlinden (Iowa Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 6× “Celice noted the ninety- day waiting period found in Iowa Code section 598.19 (2013) had not elapsed between the day she was served with notice of the petition, February 23, 2014, and the date of the dissolution decree, May 9, 2014.”
In re the Marriage of Shirbroun (Iowa Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 2× “See Iowa Code § 598.19 (2018). Joshua never filed an answer after accepting service, see Iowa R.”
In re Marriage of Foster (Iowa Ct. App. 2021). · cites it 2× “Prior to a decree of dissolution being granted, Iowa Code section 598.19 provides: No decree dissolving a marriage shall be granted in any proceeding before ninety days shall have elapsed from the day the original notice is served, or from the last day of publication of notice,…”
In Re the Marriage of Kyle Frank Smith & Lacy Kay Smith Upon the Petition of Kyle Frank Smith, & Concerning Lacy Kay Smith (Iowa Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “A stipulated dissolution decree was drawn up at that time, but was not submitted to the court because the ninety-day waiting period found in section 598.19 had not elapsed. Kyle later changed his mind about the issue of physical care.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.