CHAPTER 626A
ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN JUDGMENTS

Referred to in §624.24

  
     
626A.1  Definition.
  As used in this chapter unless the context otherwise requires, “foreign judgment” means a judgment, decree, or order of a court of the United States or of any other court which is entitled to full faith and credit in this state.
[C81, §626A.1]

     
626A.2  Filing and status of foreign judgments.
  1.  A copy of a foreign judgment authenticated in accordance with an Act of Congress or the statutes of this state may be filed in the office of the clerk of the district court of a county of this state which would have venue if the original action was being commenced in this state. The clerk shall treat the foreign judgment in the same manner as a judgment of the district court of this state. A judgment so filed has the same effect and is subject to the same procedures, defenses and proceedings for reopening, vacating, or staying as a judgment of the district court of this state and may be enforced or satisfied in like manner.
  2.  A proceeding to enforce a child support order is governed by 28 U.S.C. §1738B.
[C81, §626A.2]
96 Acts, ch 1141, §32; 97 Acts, ch 175, §236

     
626A.3  Notice of filing.
  1.  At the time of the filing of the foreign judgment, the judgment creditor or the creditor’s lawyer shall make and file with the clerk of court an affidavit setting forth the name and last known post office address of the judgment debtor, and the judgment creditor.
  2.  Promptly upon the filing of the foreign judgment and the affidavit as provided in subsection 1, the clerk shall mail notice of the filing of the foreign judgment to the judgment debtor at the address given and shall make a note of the mailing in the docket. The notice shall include the name and post office address of the judgment creditor and the judgment creditor’s lawyer, if any, in this state.
  3.  No execution or other process for enforcement of a foreign judgment filed under this chapter shall issue until the expiration of twenty days after the date the judgment is filed.
  4.  The filing of a foreign judgment under this chapter shall not create a lien upon any real estate until after the expiration of the time provided for in this chapter for challenging the conclusiveness of the foreign judgment and pursuant to section 624.24.
[C81, §626A.3]
2007 Acts, ch 192, §2

     
626A.4  Stay.
  1.  If the judgment debtor shows the district court in which the judgment is filed that an appeal from the foreign judgment is pending or will be taken, or that a stay of execution has been granted, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment until the appeal is concluded, the time for appeal expires, or the stay of execution expires or is vacated, upon proof that the judgment debtor has furnished the security for the satisfaction of the judgment required by the state in which it was rendered.
  2.  If the judgment debtor shows the district court in which the judgment is filed that grounds exist upon which enforcement of a judgment of the district court of this state would be stayed, the court shall stay enforcement of the foreign judgment for an appropriate period, upon requiring the same security for satisfaction of the judgment which is required in this state.
[C81, §626A.4]

     
626A.5  Fee.
  For filing a foreign judgment, the clerk shall collect a fee in the amount collected for filing and docketing a petition under section 602.8105, subsection 1, paragraph “a”.
[C81, §626A.5]
94 Acts, ch 1074, §9

     
626A.6  Optional procedure.
  The right of a judgment creditor to bring an action to enforce the creditor’s judgment instead of proceeding under this chapter remains unimpaired.
[C81, §626A.6]

     
626A.7  Uniformity of interpretation.
  This chapter shall be so interpreted and construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make uniform the law of those states which enact it.
[C81, §626A.7]

     
626A.8  Short title.
  This chapter may be cited as the “Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act”.
[C81, §626A.8]