13 Resources
Iowa's statewide self-help portal hosts every form needed to file for custody, paternity, modification, or contempt without an attorney, along with plain-language instructions written for self-represented parents. Court clerks can confirm filing fees and venue, but state ethics rules prevent them from giving legal advice. Reach the help line at 515-281-5911 during business hours.
515-281-5911 · Statewide Online Resource · Online 24/7 · Visit Website
Iowa Legal Aid's family law unit represents mothers below 200% of the federal poverty line in custody, paternity, dissolution, and protective order cases out of its Des Moines headquarters at 1111 9th Street. Intake screens for income, assets, and conflicts; bring birth certificates, pay stubs, and prior orders. Apply by phone at 800-532-1275 Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm.
800-532-1275 · 1111 9th St Suite 230, Des Moines, IA 50314 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm · Visit Website
Polk County's family court division at the Mulberry Street courthouse hears custody, paternity, and dissolution matters for the Des Moines metro, with a free self-help center on the second floor where women can pick up forms and use a public computer. Filing fees can be waived for indigent litigants who submit Form 2008. Reach the clerk at 515-286-3394 weekdays 8am-4:30pm.
515-286-3394 · 500 Mulberry St, Des Moines, IA 50309 · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
The Iowa State Bar's referral service at 625 E Court Avenue in Des Moines connects women with a vetted family law attorney for a 30-minute consult capped at 5, useful when a mother needs paid representation but cannot navigate the open market. Specialty panels include domestic abuse, paternity, and military family law. Call 515-243-3179 Monday-Friday during regular hours.
515-243-3179 · 625 E Court Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
Court-annexed mediation is mandatory in most contested Iowa custody cases before trial. Mediators do not impose decisions; they help mothers and the other parent draft a written parenting plan covering school, holidays, transportation, and dispute resolution. The judicial branch coordinator at 515-281-5911 can match families with a roster mediator and explain the sliding-scale fee structure.
515-281-5911 · Statewide Service · Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm · Visit Website
WomensLaw runs a state-by-state legal information library written by attorneys at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, with Iowa-specific chapters on custody jurisdiction, relocation, and modifying orders after abuse. The site is anonymous and includes an email hotline answered within five business days, making it useful for mothers who cannot safely call from home.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The American Bar Association's Family Law Section publishes consumer guides on the UCCJEA, relocation, and grandparent visitation, plus a directory of section members nationwide. While the ABA itself does not represent clients, the public-facing pages translate dense statutes into language a self-represented mother can use to evaluate her own case before hiring counsel.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
OCSS is the federal agency that sets the rules every state IV-D program follows, including Iowa's. The public site explains paternity establishment, interstate enforcement under UIFSA, and the new flexibility states have to set realistic orders. Mothers researching how a noncustodial parent's order was calculated will find the worksheet methodology and the federal review schedule.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
USA.gov's family law landing page is a vetted entry point that links to every state child support agency, the federal parent locator, and tax intercept rules. It is particularly useful for Iowa mothers whose case crosses state lines because it surfaces the right agency in any state with two clicks.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
The Children's Bureau's information gateway publishes free fact sheets on kinship custody, guardianship versus adoption, and how a juvenile dependency case affects an existing family court order. Iowa-specific statutes are summarized in the state laws database, which is updated annually and cited in many courtroom appendices.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
NCJFCJ trains every Iowa juvenile court judge and publishes the bench books they consult on custody disputes involving domestic violence, the Greenbook, and the Safe Havens project. The public side of the site posts free guides on co-parenting after abuse and on how protective orders interact with custody.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Cornell Law School's free Wex encyclopedia explains the legal doctrines Iowa judges actually cite — best interests of the child, the tender years presumption, and the UCCJEA — in language readable in one sitting. Each entry links to the underlying statute or case so a mother can verify the source before quoting it in a brief.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
FindLaw's consumer pages summarize Iowa custody law alongside national norms, with quick-reference articles on modifying joint physical care, enforcing visitation, and contesting a parental relocation. The site is owned by Thomson Reuters; articles are reviewed by licensed attorneys but should be confirmed against current Iowa Code Chapter 598.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website