Moderate — ~16 monthsIowa

Polk District (Des Moines) Venue Guide

500 Mulberry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309

16mo

Avg. to Trial

~3,000

Court PI Filings

District

Court Type

E-Filing

Jury Pool Characteristics

State capital jury pool — diverse for Iowa

Insurance industry headquarters (Principal, EMC, Nationwide)

Generally moderate demographics

Government employees and insurance workers well-represented

Filing Procedures

  1. 1

    E-filing through Iowa Courts Online (EDMS)

  2. 2

    Filing fee approximately $195

  3. 3

    Iowa uses modified comparative fault (51% bar) — Iowa Code § 668.3

  4. 4

    2-year SOL for PI (Iowa Code § 614.1)

Local Rules & Requirements

  • Iowa 51% bar applies

  • Mandatory mediation available

  • Polk County local rules

  • Expert disclosure deadlines per Iowa R. Civ. P.

Mandatory ADR

Mandatory mediation available

Strategic Tips

  1. 1

    I-35, I-80, and I-235 corridor accidents dominate

  2. 2

    Insurance industry jurors may be knowledgeable about claim processes

  3. 3

    Des Moines is Iowa's most diverse jury pool

  4. 4

    Moderate venue — balanced perspectives

Frequently Asked Questions — Polk District (Des Moines)

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Sources & Methodology

Disposition times: Based on state court annual reports and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) State Court Caseload Digest (2023). Estimated averages for personal injury civil cases; actual timelines vary by case complexity.

Caseload figures: Derived from state court annual reports and NCSC Court Statistics Project data where available.

Filing procedures & fees: From court websites and published local rules of court, current as of early 2026. Fees and procedures are subject to change.

Jury pool characteristics: Based on county demographic data (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2022), county-level jury verdict reporters, and published local bar association litigation guides.

Disclaimer: Court venue profiles are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Procedures, fees, and timelines change frequently. Verify all information with the court clerk's office before filing.

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