Local Rule 83 governs the court's admission procedures. Attorneys seeking to practice in the Southern District of Iowa must do the following:
- Obtain their own PACER account or upgrade their existing PACER account.
- Select the type of admissions you are seeking from the choices below and follow the instructions.
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.
- Must contain a signature from the following:
- 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:
- Comply with all requirements of the Iowa Rules of Professional Conduct and any successor codes adopted by the Iowa Supreme Court.
- Complete the “Pro Hac Vice” registration through PACER (PACER Filing Instructions). You will receive an email once your registration has been approved.
- File a Motion to Appear Pro Hac Vice. For civil cases you must pay the $100.00 fee.
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:
- Complete the Federal Government Attorney Petition and Oath of Applicant Form (Federal Government Attorney Petition and Oath of Applicant Form).
- Email the completed form to iasd_attorneyreg@iasd.uscourts.gov with a subject line of Attention: Petition – U.S. Government Attorney.
- Complete the “Federal Attorney” registration through PACER (PACER Filing Instructions).
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.