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Attorney Admissions

Local Rule 83 governs the court's admission procedures. Attorneys seeking to practice in the Southern District of Iowa must do the following:

For any questions about the admission process or types of admission, please contact Attorney Admissions at 515-323-2842 (Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) or iasd_attorneyreg@iasd.uscourts.gov.

Full Admission to Practice in the Southern District of Iowa

The following are required before admission:

  • Be in good standing in all jurisdictions where you are admitted and not the subject of any disciplinary sanction, proceeding, suspension, or investigation.
  • Read and agree to abide by the Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct, or any directive adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court, and the Local Rules of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
  • Complete the Petition for Admission to Practice and Oath of Applicant Form (Petition for Admission to Practice and Oath of Applicant Form).
    • Must contain a signature from the following:
      • A judge: Iowa Supreme Court Justice, Judge of the Iowa Court of Appeals, Judge of a District Court of Iowa (excluding an Associate District Judge or State Magistrate Judge), or Federal Judge in the Southern District of Iowa.
      • An attorney: In good standing and admitted in this court.
  • Submit petition through PACER (PACER Filing Instructions).
  • Pay the admission fee of $199.00 after receiving an email from the court requesting payment.

Pro Hac Vice Admission

Attorneys not admitted to practice law in Iowa and who want to serve as counsel on a case in the Southern District of Iowa must seek admission by completing the following steps:

Note:

  • In civil cases, attorneys admitted pro hac vice must have local counsel.
  • If there is more than one case and the cases are consolidated, the filing of the Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice and payment only need to occur in the lead case.
  • If the pro hac vice attorney is seeking admission on behalf of a client who has a pending case a separate motion must be filed, but the fee is waived.

U.S. Government Attorneys

Attorneys who will represent the U.S. Government in the Southern District of Iowa and are permanently stationed in Iowa should seek admission by completing the following steps:

Note: If granted, your privileges to practice in the Southern District of Iowa are only valid while you are employed by the U.S. Government. Upon your separation from the U.S. Government, you will need to apply for Full Admission.