Iowa Legal Guides
12 guides covering Iowa topics, each with CaseDiver search beside the article.
- Castle Doctrine in Iowa: Deadly Force Against Intruders
Iowa castle doctrine: when occupants may use deadly force against home intruders, key statutes (Iowa Code § 704.2A), presumptions, and leading cases.
- How Do You Make a Valid Will In Iowa?
To make a valid will in Iowa, the will must be: In writing; Signed by the testator; Witnessed and signed by two witnesses. The basic requirements for a valid will under Iowa law can be found at Iowa Probate Code § 15-2-502 . Who Can …
- Iowa Child Support Guidelines: How Support Is Calculated
How Iowa calculates child support under Iowa Code § 598.21B; Iowa Child Support Guidelines, including the income shares, deviations, modification, and leading cases.
- Iowa Court Recognizes Illegitimate Child As Legal Heir In Probate
In Langerman v. Mohr , a November 3, 2021 opinion, the Iowa appellate court affirmed a probate court decision that an illegitimate son was the legal heir of his father because the father recognized him as his child in a general and notoriou…
- Iowa Spousal support (alimony): Eligibility, Amount, and Duration
How Iowa courts award spousal support (alimony) under Iowa Code § 598.21A: eligibility, statutory factors, duration, and leading cases.
- Iowa Supreme Court: Surviving Settlor Cannot Modify Irrevocable Trust Without Court Approval
In Little v. Davis , a May 6, 2022 opinion from the Iowa Supreme Court, the Court concluded that a surviving settlor of an irrevocable trust cannot, even with the consent of all of the beneficiaries, modify the dispositive terms of an irrev…
- Iowa Supreme Court: Tortious Interference With An Inheritance Action Barred Unless Joined With A Timely Will Contest
In Youngblut v. Youngblut , the Iowa Supreme Court considered its first tortious interference with an inheritance case in almost 30 years, overruling its prior decisions and holding that a claim alleging that a decedent’s will resulted from…
- Iowa Supreme Court: Tortious Interference With an Inheritance Requires Defendant To Have Knowledge of Plaintiff’s Expectancy Of an Inheritance
In Buboltz v. Birusingh , a June 11, 2021 opinion from the Iowa Supreme Court, the Court addressed the question of whether a cause of action for tortious interference with inheritance requires the plaintiff to prove that the defendant had k…
- Iowa Supreme Court: You Can’t Adjudicate Validity Of a Will Before a Testator’s Death
In In Re Guardianship and Conservatorship of Radda , the Iowa Supreme Court addressed whether a prospective heir can bring an action to determine the validity of a will before the death of the testator. The answer: no. The Facts Of In Re Gu…
- Stand Your Ground Laws in Iowa
Iowa stand-your-ground overview (statutory stand-your-ground): duty to retreat, statutes, civil immunity, and controlling cases.
- Surviving Spouse Rights Iowa
When a married Iowan dies, Iowa law provides the widow important surviving spouse rights, including: Intestate Share Support Allowance Elective Share Exempt Personal Property Homestead What if My Spouse Died Without a Will (Intestacy) In Io…
- Who Are Next Of Kin In Iowa?
Under Iowa law “next of kin” are generally the people entitled to take by intestate succession. Next of kin for purposes of intestate succession in Iowa are the: Surviving spouse Children Parents Siblings Grandparents Great-grandparents Iss…