United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa
About This Court
The Northern District of Iowa is one of two federal judicial districts in Iowa, operating within the Eighth Circuit. The district covers the northern portion of the state, encompassing a largely rural and agricultural region with several mid-sized cities including Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, and Dubuque. Court operations are conducted from multiple locations across the district to serve the geographic spread of the region.
The district handles the full range of federal civil and criminal matters arising within its boundaries. Given the agricultural character of the region, cases involving agricultural law, rural lending disputes, and related federal regulatory matters appear with some regularity. The district also sees criminal matters arising from its position along interstate corridors in the Midwest.
With only three active Article III judgeships, the Northern District of Iowa is a relatively small federal court. Senior judges and visiting judges may contribute to managing the caseload alongside active district judges.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Iowa.
Divisions
Cedar Rapids Division (Cedar Rapids), Western Division (Sioux City), Eastern Division (Dubuque), Central Division (Fort Dodge)
Caseload
The court handles a mix of federal civil litigation and criminal matters typical of a rural Midwest district, including cases involving agriculture, immigration, and drug trafficking along interstate corridors.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa, which generally requires membership in good standing with the Iowa State Bar or another state bar and compliance with the court's local admission rules.
Clerk's Office
111 Seventh Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319) 286-2300
Active Judges 3
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linda Reade | George W. Bush | 2002 | Drake University Law School |
| Leonard Strand | Barack Obama | 2016 | University of Iowa College of Law |
| Charles Williams | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Iowa College of Law |
Local Rules
63 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.
Civil Rules 37
Criminal Rules 22
General Rules 2
Appellate Rules 1
| Rule | Title |
|---|---|
| LR 8001 | BANKRUPTCY APPEALS |