Iowa Code » Chapter 684A — QUESTIONS OF LAW IN SUPREME COURT CERTIFIED
Iowa Code

Iowa Code § 684A.1 (2026)

Power to answer

✓ current as of July 2026
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The supreme court may answer questions of law certified to it by the supreme court of the United States, a court of appeals of the United States, a United States district court or the highest appellate court or the intermediate appellate court of another state, when requested by the certifying court, if there are involved in a proceeding before it questions of law of this state which may be determinative of the cause then pending in the certifying court and as to which it appears to the certifying court there is no controlling precedent in the decisions of the appellate courts of this state. [C81, §684A.1] Referred to in §684A.2

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 65 cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1982–2025 · leading case: Gregory Baldwin v. City of Estherville, Iowa, 929 N.W.2d 691 (Iowa 2019).
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Gregory Baldwin v. City of Estherville, Iowa, 929 N.W.2d 691 (Iowa 2019). · cites it 25× “Iowa Code § 684A.1 (2019). Thus, the Code gives us the discretion to answer a certified question if four conditions are met: (1) a proper court certified the question, (2) the question involves a matter of Iowa law, (3) the question “may be determinative of the cause .”
Bd. of Water Works Trs. of the City of Des Moines, Iowa v. Sac Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors, as Tr. of Drainage Districts 32, 42, 65, 79, 81, 83, 86, & Calhoun Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors & Sac Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors as Jt. Trs. of Drainage Districts 2 & 51 & Buena Vista Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors & Sac Cnty. Bd. of Supervisors as Jt. Trs. of Drainage Districts 19, 890 N.W.2d 50 (Iowa 2017). · cites it 8× “2d at 246 (quoting Iowa Code § 684A.1 (2003)). The first three requirements are easily met here: the federal court certified four questions of Iowa law that, if resolved adversely to DMWW, would result in summary judgment dismissing its state law claims.”
Gregory Baldwin v. City of Estherville, Iowa Matt Reineke, Individually & in His Off. Capacity as an Officer of the Estherville Police Dep't & Matt Hellickson, Individually & in His Off. Capacity as an Officer of the Estherville Police Dep't, 915 N.W.2d 259 (Iowa 2018). · cites it 8× “t by the supreme court of the United States, a court of appeals of the United States, a United States district court or the highest appellate court or the intermediate appellate court of another state, when requested by the certifying court, if there are involved in a proceeding…”
Wright v. Brooke Grp. Ltd., 652 N.W.2d 159 (Iowa 2002). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 684A.1 (“The supreme court may answer questions of law certified to it.”
Samuel De Dios v. Indem. Ins. Co. of North Am. & Broadspire Servs., Inc., 927 N.W.2d 611 (Iowa 2019). · cites it 8× “d to it by the supreme court of the United States, a court of appeals of the United States, a United States district court or the highest appellate court or the intermediate appellate court of another state, when requested by the certifying court, if there are involved in a…”
Baldwin v. Estherville, 333 F. Supp. 3d 817 (N.D. Iowa 2018). · cites it 5× “2d at 246 (quoting Iowa Code § 684A.1 (2003) ). Board of Water Works Trustees of City of Des Moines v.”
Life Investors Ins. Co. of Am. v. Est. of John M. Corrado & Fed. City Region, Inc., 838 N.W.2d 640 (Iowa 2013). · cites it 4× “Iowa Code § 684A.1 (stating the court “may” answer a certified question).”
In Re Certified Question From 14th Dist. Court of Appeals of Texas, 740 N.W.2d 206 (Mich. 2007). · cites it 2× “Rule 1:03; Michigan, MCR 7.305(B); Miss., M.R.A.P. 20(a); Mont.”
Oyens Feed & Supply, Inc. v. Primebank, 808 N.W.2d 186 (Iowa 2011). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code section 684A.1 allows this court to answer questions of Iowa law certified to us by a federal court that concludes controlling precedent is lacking when the answer may be determinative of the federal proceeding.”
Mary E. Roth & Michael A. Roth, Individually & as Coexecutors of the Est. of Cletus Roth, Anna M. Roth, Individually, & Bradley E. Roth, Individually v. the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Soc'y D/B/A Good Samaritan Soc'y - George, 886 N.W.2d 601 (Iowa 2016). · cites it 2× “2d 640, 643 (Iowa 2013) (citation omitted) (quoting Iowa Code § 684A.1). Here we elect to answer the certified questions.”
Foley v. Argosy Gaming Co., 688 N.W.2d 244 (Iowa 2004). · cites it 4× “See Iowa Code § 684A.1 (stating we may answer a certified question where (1) it was certified by a proper court; (2) is a question of Iowa law; (3) "may be determinative of the cause .”
Lockhart v. Cedar Rapids Cmty. Sch. Dist., 963 F. Supp. 805 (N.D. Iowa 1997). · cites it 2× “Iowa Code § 684A.1 (1996). A court may also consider the following factors in determining whether to certify a question to the state supreme court: (1) the extent to which the legal issue under consideration has been left unsettled by the state courts; (2) the availability of…”
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