Hiring a Child Custody Lawyer in Iowa
How courts in Iowa decide custody, emergency custody, parenting classes, how to check a lawyer's license, and free or low-cost family law help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Iowa: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | Contingent fees are allowed except where Rule 1.5(d) or other law prohibits them. A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client and state how the fee is figured, including the percentage(s) the lawyer gets on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, and whether expenses are deducted before or after the fee is calculated. It must clearly tell the client about any expenses the client must pay whether or not the client wins. At the end, the lawyer must give the client a written statement of the outcome and, if there is a recovery, the client's share and how it was figured. Lawyers may not charge domestic relations fees contingent on securing a divorce or on the amount of alimony, support or property settlement, or a contingent fee to represent a criminal defendant. |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Iowa Attorney Disciplinary Board does not resolve fee disputes. The Iowa Judicial Branch says fee disputes go to the Iowa State Bar Association for arbitration, and that fee arbitration may be available through your local bar association. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | Iowa's Client Security Trust Fund, administered by the Client Security Commission, covers losses from dishonest conduct by an Iowa-licensed lawyer acting as attorney or fiduciary in the practice of law, when no other source can cover the loss; negligence and employer-employee disputes are not covered. The maximum any one client may recover is set by Iowa Supreme Court rules, and the Commission also weighs available funds and hardship. Claims are generally due within one year after you discover the loss (extendable for good cause). There is no fee and no lawyer is needed. Client Security Commission, Judicial Branch Building, 1111 East Court Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50319; (515) 348-4670. |
Iowa rules to know first
| How custody is decided | Custody is based on the child's best interest, with the goal of maximum continuing physical and emotional contact with both parents. On either parent's request the court must consider joint custody, and if it denies joint custody it must cite clear and convincing evidence that joint custody is unreasonable. A history of domestic abuse creates a rebuttable presumption against joint custody. Factors include each parent's suitability, the child's needs, whether the parents can communicate, past caregiving, support for the other parent's relationship, the child's wishes (considering age and maturity), geographic proximity, and safety. No specific age is set for the child's preference. Joint physical care may be awarded when joint legal custody is granted. Source: Iowa Code § 598.41 |
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| Parenting classes | Parents in any case involving child custody or visitation must take a court-approved course on the needs of children during and after divorce within 45 days of service. The final decree will not be granted until each parent files proof of completion, unless the court waives or delays the requirement for good cause. Each party pays for the course. The court may also require mediation, and some judicial districts have mandatory mediation. |
| Grandparents' rights | A grandparent or great-grandparent may petition for visitation only if the child's parent who is their child (or grandchild) has died. A fit parent's decision to deny visitation is presumed to be in the child's best interest. The court may grant visitation only if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that visitation is in the child's best interest, the grandparent had a substantial relationship with the child before filing, and the parent is unfit or the parent's judgment is impaired. Source: Iowa Code § 600C.1 |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Iowa State Bar Association's Iowa Find-A-Lawyer is a free, voluntary web-based referral program that matches the public with Iowa attorneys; the ISBA refers all phone calls from people looking for a lawyer to this website. "Attorneys listed in this directory charge $25 or less for up to 30 minutes of initial consultation"; when you contact a lawyer, say you found them through the program and ask what they charge. ISBA phone (general): (515) 243-3179. Ways to get legal help: https://www.iowabar.org/?pg=Waystogetlegalhelp |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Iowa Supreme Court's commissions maintain an online "Search Iowa Attorneys" database of lawyers licensed by the Supreme Court of Iowa. Search by name, business county, city or state, good-standing status and license status (such as active, inactive, suspended, revoked, emeritus or deceased). It covers lawyers in good standing, inactive, suspended, revoked, deceased and in-house registrants; home addresses and phone numbers are not released. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Ethics complaints about Iowa lawyers go to the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board, which receives and investigates them. Use the court-approved complaint form (online, or downloadable PDF to mail), one per attorney, with copies (not originals) of supporting documents and the case name and number if any. There is no charge; the system is funded by assessments on Iowa lawyers. The Board cannot resolve fee disputes, which are generally contract matters for district court, though charging a clearly excessive fee is an ethics issue. Lawyers with prior public discipline are listed on the Iowa court commissions site. Phone: 515-348-4680. Complaint instructions: https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/attorneys/attorney-discipline/complaint-against-a-lawyer/ |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Iowa Legal Aid, the state's LSC-funded legal aid organization, provides free civil legal help to eligible low-income Iowans; toll-free (800) 532-1275, iowalegalaid.org. Other free options listed by the federal court for Iowa include the University of Iowa Clinical Law Program ((319) 335-9030, toll-free (866) 251-5491) and the Drake University Legal Clinic ((515) 271-3851). Iowa Free Legal Answers (iowa.freelegalanswers.org) lets qualifying users post civil legal questions at no cost. Phone numbers from https://www.iand.uscourts.gov/content/how-can-i-find-attorney |
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Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.