Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 600A.9 (2026)

Termination findings and order — vacation of order

✓ current as of July 2026
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1. Subsequent to the hearing on termination of parental rights under this chapter, the juvenile court shall make a finding of facts and shall do one of the following: a. Order the petition dismissed. b. Order the petition granted. The juvenile court shall appoint a guardian and a custodian or a guardian only. An order issued under this paragraph shall include the finding of facts. Such finding shall specify the factual basis for terminating the parent-child relationship and shall specify the ground or grounds upon which the termination is ordered. 2. a. If an order is issued under subsection 1, paragraph “b”, the juvenile court shall retain jurisdiction to change a guardian or custodian and to allow a terminated parent or any putative biological parent to request vacation or appeal of the termination order which request must be made within thirty days of issuance of the granting of the order. The period for request by a terminated parent or by a putative biological parent for vacation or appeal shall not be waived or extended and a vacation or appeal shall not be granted after the expiration of this period. The juvenile court shall grant the vacation request only if it is in the best interest of the child. The supreme court shall prescribe rules to establish a period of thirty days, which shall not be waived or extended, in which a terminated or putative biological parent may request a vacation or appeal of a termination order. b. If an order is issued under subsection 1, paragraph “b”, to terminate the parental rights of a biological parent who indicated in the parent’s petition for termination of parental rights the grounds for termination specified in section 600A.8, subsection 1, but an order to terminate the parental rights of any other putative biological parent is not issued by the court pursuant to subsection 1, paragraph “b”, nor has the other putative biological parent consented to the adoption in lieu of termination of the parent’s parental rights, thereby prohibiting the filing of an adoption petition pursuant to section 600.3, subsection 2, the\n\nTue Dec 09 21:59:52 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 600A (43, 0) §600A.9, TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS 12\n\ncourt shall allow the parent for whom the court issued an order terminating parental rights to request a vacation of the order within thirty days of issuance of the granting of the order. The period for request by a terminated parent for vacation shall not be waived or extended and a vacation shall not be granted after the expiration of this period. The juvenile court shall grant the vacation request only if it is in the best interest of the child. The supreme court shall prescribe rules to establish a period of thirty days, which shall not be waived or extended, in which a terminated parent may request a vacation of a termination order under this paragraph “b”. 3. If an order is issued under subsection 1, paragraph “b”, the juvenile court shall have jurisdiction to allow an adoptive parent to request termination of the adoptive parent’s parental rights and of the parent-child relationship based upon a showing that the adoption was fraudulently induced and to request that the order issued under subsection 1, paragraph “b”, be vacated. The juvenile court shall grant the termination and vacation requests only after the parent whose rights have been terminated is given an opportunity to contest the vacation of the termination order and only if the termination of the adoptive parent’s parental rights and the vacation of the termination order are in the best interest of the child. 4. A copy of any order made under this section shall be sent by the clerk of the juvenile court to: a. The department. b. The petitioner. c. The parents whose rights have been terminated if they request such copies. d. Any guardian, custodian, or guardian ad litem of the child. e. The state registrar for the purposes of section 144.13A, subsection 2. [S13, §254-a21; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §3638; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, §232.22; C66, 71, 73, 75, §232.47 – 232.50; C77, 79, 81, §600A.9] 92 Acts, ch 1192, §3, 5; 94 Acts, ch 1174, §20, 22; 2004 Acts, ch 1156, §2; 2022 Acts, ch 1032, §100; 2023 Acts, ch 135, §1 Referred to in §232.119, 600.16A, 600A.4, 600A.6B, 600A.8, 600B.5

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 21 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1979–2025 · leading case: In the Interest of B.G.C., 496 N.W.2d 239 (Iowa 1993).
In the Interest of B.G.C., 496 N.W.2d 239 (Iowa 1993). · cites it 28× “Iowa Code § 600A.9. In this case, the mother informed Daniel on February 27, 1991, that she suspected that Daniel was the father.”
In the Interest of C.L.C., 479 N.W.2d 340 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 10× “117(3) and section 600A.9(1) which placed a duty on the juvenile court to consider “relatives” as guardian and custodian of the child.”
Klobnock Ex Rel. Abbott, 303 N.W.2d 149 (Iowa 1981). · cites it 8× “8(4) provides in relevant part: The juvenile court shall base its findings and order under section 600A.9 on clear and convincing proof.”
In the Interest of G.A., 826 N.W.2d 125 (Iowa Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “8(3), as amended by the legislature in 2004, added more specific direction for the courts and explained the role of subjective intent: The juvenile court shall base its findings and order under section 600A.9 on clear and convincing proof.”
In the Interest of J. R., 315 N.W.2d 750 (Iowa 1982). · cites it 4× “Section 600A.9(1), The Code provides: Subsequent to the hearing on termination of parental rights under this chapter, the juvenile court shall make a finding of facts and shall: a.”
In Re the Adoption of M.M.B., 376 N.W.2d 900 (Iowa 1985). · cites it 10× “Iowa Code § 600A.9(2). However, Patrick now seeks to appear at the adoption hearing and to present evidence which he asserts would have materially affected the court’s decision regarding the desirability of the proposed adoption.”
In the Interest of B.B.M., 514 N.W.2d 425 (Iowa 1994). · cites it 4× “In 1986 the legislature enacted a statute giving grandparents visitation rights under circumstances where parental rights had been terminated pursuant to § 600A.9. 1986 Iowa Acts ch. 1123, § 1 (codified at Iowa Code § 600A.”
In Interest of ECG, 345 N.W.2d 138 (Iowa 1984). · cites it 18× “He alleged that the child had been killed in an automobile accident one day after that order, that property rights were involved in the form of a potential wrongful death recovery, and that the court should exercise its retained jurisdiction under Iowa Code section 600A.9(2)…”
D.L.S. v. L.R.G., 345 N.W.2d 138 (Iowa 1984). · cites it 18× “He alleged that the child had been killed in an automobile accident one day after that order, that property rights were involved in the form of a potential wrongful death recovery, and that the court should exercise its retained jurisdiction under Iowa Code section 600A.9(2)…”
In the Interest of D.W.K., 365 N.W.2d 32 (Iowa 1985). · cites it 2× “The juvenile court shall base its findings and order under section 600A.9 on clear and convincing proof.”
In the Interest of Ponx, 276 N.W.2d 425 (Iowa 1979). · cites it 2× “8 provides in relevant part: The juvenile court shall base its findings and order under section 600A.9 on clear and convincing proof.”
In the Interest of D.E.E., 472 N.W.2d 628 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). · cites it 2× “The district court is empowered to terminate the parental rights, Iowa Code § 600A.9, upon a petition by a parent, Iowa Code § 600A.”
— Iowa Code § 600A.9(1) — 2 cases
In the Interest of C.L.C., 479 N.W.2d 340 (Iowa Ct. App. 1991). “117(3) and section 600A.9(1) which placed a duty on the juvenile court to consider “relatives” as guardian and custodian of the child.”
In the Interest of J. R., 315 N.W.2d 750 (Iowa 1982). “Section 600A.9(1), The Code provides: Subsequent to the hearing on termination of parental rights under this chapter, the juvenile court shall make a finding of facts and shall: a.”
— Iowa Code § 600A.9(1)(b) — 1 case
In the Interest of J.M., Minor Child (Iowa Ct. App. 2019).
— Iowa Code § 600A.9(2) — 7 cases
In the Interest of B.G.C., 496 N.W.2d 239 (Iowa 1993). “Iowa Code § 600A.9. In this case, the mother informed Daniel on February 27, 1991, that she suspected that Daniel was the father.”
In Re the Adoption of M.M.B., 376 N.W.2d 900 (Iowa 1985). “Iowa Code § 600A.9(2). However, Patrick now seeks to appear at the adoption hearing and to present evidence which he asserts would have materially affected the court’s decision regarding the desirability of the proposed adoption.”
In Interest of ECG, 345 N.W.2d 138 (Iowa 1984). “He alleged that the child had been killed in an automobile accident one day after that order, that property rights were involved in the form of a potential wrongful death recovery, and that the court should exercise its retained jurisdiction under Iowa Code section 600A.9(2)…”
D.L.S. v. L.R.G., 345 N.W.2d 138 (Iowa 1984). “He alleged that the child had been killed in an automobile accident one day after that order, that property rights were involved in the form of a potential wrongful death recovery, and that the court should exercise its retained jurisdiction under Iowa Code section 600A.9(2)…”
In the Interest of B.B.M., 514 N.W.2d 425 (Iowa 1994). “In 1986 the legislature enacted a statute giving grandparents visitation rights under circumstances where parental rights had been terminated pursuant to § 600A.9. 1986 Iowa Acts ch. 1123, § 1 (codified at Iowa Code § 600A.”
— Iowa Code § 600A.9(l)(b) — 1 case
In the Interest of B.B.M., 514 N.W.2d 425 (Iowa 1994). “In 1986 the legislature enacted a statute giving grandparents visitation rights under circumstances where parental rights had been terminated pursuant to § 600A.9. 1986 Iowa Acts ch. 1123, § 1 (codified at Iowa Code § 600A.”
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.