1. Pleadings need not be verified unless otherwise required by statute. Where a pleading is verified, it is not necessary that subsequent pleadings be verified unless otherwise required by statute.
2. The signature of a party, the party’s legal counsel, or any other person representing the party, to a motion, pleading, or other paper is a certificate that:
a. The person has read the motion, pleading, or other paper. b. To the best of the person’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry, it is grounded in fact and is warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for the extension, modification, or reversal of existing law.
c. It is not interposed for any improper purpose, such as to harass or cause an unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation.
3. If a motion, pleading, or other paper is not signed, it shall be stricken unless it is signed promptly after the omission is called to the attention of the pleader or movant.
4. If a motion, pleading, or other paper is signed in violation of this section, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative, shall impose upon the person signing, the represented party, or both, an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay the other party or parties the amount of the reasonable expenses incurred because of the filing of the motion, pleading, or other paper, including a reasonable attorney fee. 86 Acts, ch 1211, §38; 2013 Acts, ch 30, §186\n\nTue Dec 09 21:59:24 2025 Iowa Code 2026, Chapter 619 (22, 0) \n
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
17
cases (
4 in the last 5 years), 1989–2025 · leading case:
Mathias v. Glandon, 448 N.W.2d 443 (Iowa 1989).
Mathias v. Glandon, 448 N.W.2d 443 (Iowa 1989).
· cites it 18× “Rule 80 and Iowa Code § 619.19 . The district court refused to award sanctions under Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 80(a) or under Iowa Code section 619.”
Barnhill v. Iowa Dist. Court for Polk Cnty., 765 N.W.2d 267 (Iowa 2009).
· cites it 8× “During the pendency of these appeals, Humphreys filed a motion for sanctions against all of the named plaintiffs and their attorney, Barnhill, pursuant to Iowa Code section 619.19 (2001) and Iowa Rule of Civil Procedure 1.”
Weigel v. Weigel, 467 N.W.2d 277 (Iowa 1991).
· cites it 4× “at 58; see also Iowa Code § 619.19 (1989) (adopts similar certification requirements for parties as well as attorneys).”
K. CARR v. Hovick, 451 N.W.2d 815 (Iowa 1990).
· cites it 6× “This rule and Iowa Code section 619.19 (1987), which includes similar provisions, are based on Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11.”
Dull v. Iowa Dist. Court for Woodbury Cnty., 465 N.W.2d 296 (Iowa Ct. App. 1990).
· cites it 2× “Glandon, the supreme court summarized our standard of review: We apply an abuse of discretion standard in our review of sanction orders under rule 80 or under section 619.19. We are mindful the rule and statute directs [sic] the court to impose a sanction when it finds a…”
Alden v. Iowa Dist. Court Ex Rel. Delaware Cnty., 479 N.W.2d 318 (Iowa 1992).
· cites it 2× “If a motion, pleading, or other paper is signed in violation of this rule, the court, upon motion or upon its own initiative, shall impose upon the person who signed it, a represented party, or both, an appropriate sanction, which may include an order to pay the other party or…”
Dupaco Cmty. Credit Union v. Iowa Dist. Court for Linn Cnty. (Iowa 2024).
· cites it 20× “413(1); Iowa Code § 619.19 (2) (2022). If an item “is signed in violation” of any of these requirements, the court “shall impose upon the person who signed it, a represented party, or both, an appropriate sanction.”
Schettler v. Dist. Ct. for Carroll Cty., 509 N.W.2d 459 (Iowa 1993).
· cites it 2× “) See also Iowa Code § 619.19 (adopts similar certification requirements for parties as well as for attorney).”
The Law Off. of Shawn Shearer, P.C., Shawn Shearer & Theodore F. Sporer v. Iowa Dist. Court for Fremont Cnty. (Iowa 2025).
· cites it 4× “413(1) provides: Counsel’s signature to every motion, pleading, or other paper shall be deemed a certificate that: counsel has read the motion, pleading, or other paper; that to the best of counsel’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry, it is well…”
— Iowa Code § 619.19(2) — 2 cases
The Law Off. of Shawn Shearer, P.C., Shawn Shearer & Theodore F. Sporer v. Iowa Dist. Court for Fremont Cnty. (Iowa 2025).
“413(1) provides: Counsel’s signature to every motion, pleading, or other paper shall be deemed a certificate that: counsel has read the motion, pleading, or other paper; that to the best of counsel’s knowledge, information, and belief, formed after reasonable inquiry, it is well…”
— Iowa Code § 619.19(4) — 1 case
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