House Study Bill 719



                                       SENATE/HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  (PROPOSED JUDICIAL BRANCH
                                            BILL)


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the judicial branch and court administration
  2    and procedure and providing a penalty.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5301DP 81
  5 rh/gg/14

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 232.133, subsection 2, Code 2005, is
  1  2 amended to read as follows:
  1  3    2.  Except for appeals from final orders entered in child
  1  4 in need of assistance proceedings or final orders entered
  1  5 pursuant to section 232.117, appellate procedures shall be
  1  6 governed by the same provisions applicable to appeals from the
  1  7 district court.  The supreme court may prescribe rules to
  1  8 expedite the resolution of appeals from final orders entered
  1  9 in child in need of assistance proceedings or final orders
  1 10 entered pursuant to section 232.117.
  1 11    Sec. 2.  Section 236.5, subsection 5, Code 2005, is amended
  1 12 to read as follows:
  1 13    5.  A copy of any order or approved consent agreement shall
  1 14 be issued to the plaintiff, the defendant, the county sheriff
  1 15 having jurisdiction to enforce the order or consent agreement
  1 16 of the county in which the order or consent decree is
  1 17 initially entered, and the twenty=four hour dispatcher for the
  1 18 county sheriff.  Any subsequent amendment or revocation of an
  1 19 order or consent agreement shall be forwarded by the clerk to
  1 20 all individuals and the county sheriff previously notified.
  1 21 The clerk shall notify the county sheriff and the twenty=four
  1 22 hour dispatcher for the county sheriff in writing so that the
  1 23 county sheriff and the county sheriff's dispatcher receive
  1 24 written notice within six hours of filing the order, approved
  1 25 consent agreement, amendment, or revocation.  The clerk may
  1 26 fulfill this requirement by sending the notice by facsimile or
  1 27 other electronic transmission which reproduces the notice in
  1 28 writing within six hours of filing the order.  The county
  1 29 sheriff's dispatcher shall notify all law enforcement agencies
  1 30 having jurisdiction over the matter and the twenty=four hour
  1 31 dispatcher for the law enforcement agencies upon notification
  1 32 by the clerk.
  1 33    Sec. 3.  Section 558.66, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2005,
  1 34 is amended to read as follows:
  1 35    Upon receipt of a certificate from issued by the clerk of
  2  1 the district court or an appellate clerk of the supreme court
  2  2 indicating that the title to real estate has been finally
  2  3 established in any named person by judgment or decree or by
  2  4 will or by affidavit of or on behalf of a surviving spouse
  2  5 that has been recorded by the recorder, the auditor shall
  2  6 enter the information in the certificate upon the transfer
  2  7 books, upon payment of a fee in the amount specified in
  2  8 section 331.507, subsection 2, paragraph "a".  In the case of
  2  9 a certificate from the clerk of the district court or an
  2 10 appellate court, the fee shall be taxed as court costs,
  2 11 collected by the clerk, and paid to the treasurer as provided
  2 12 in section 331.902, subsection 3.  In the case of the
  2 13 affidavit filed with the recorder, the fee set forth in
  2 14 section 331.507, subsection 2, paragraph "a", and the fee set
  2 15 forth in section 331.604, shall be collected by the recorder
  2 16 and paid to the treasurer as provided in section 331.902,
  2 17 subsection 3.
  2 18    Sec. 4.  Section 602.3101, subsection 2, Code 2005, is
  2 19 amended to read as follows:
  2 20    2.  The state court administrator or a designee of the
  2 21 state court administrator shall act as secretary administrator
  2 22 to the board.
  2 23    Sec. 5.  Section 602.4102, subsection 5, Code 2005, is
  2 24 amended to read as follows:
  2 25    5.  The court of appeals shall extend the time for filing
  2 26 of an application if the court of appeals determines that a
  2 27 failure to timely file an application was due to the failure
  2 28 of the clerk of the court of appeals to notify the prospective
  2 29 applicant of the filing of the decision.  If an application
  2 30 for further review is not acted upon by the supreme court
  2 31 within thirty days after the application was filed, the
  2 32 application is deemed denied, the supreme court loses
  2 33 jurisdiction, and the decision of the court of appeals is
  2 34 conclusive.
  2 35    Sec. 6.  Section 602.5106, subsection 2, Code 2005, is
  3  1 amended to read as follows:
  3  2    2.  A decision of the court of appeals is final and shall
  3  3 not be reviewed by any other court except upon the granting by
  3  4 the supreme court of an application for further review as
  3  5 provided in section 602.4102.  Upon the filing of the
  3  6 application, the judgment and mandate of the court of appeals
  3  7 is stayed pending action of the supreme court or until the
  3  8 expiration of the time specified in section 602.4102,
  3  9 subsections 4 and 5.
  3 10    Sec. 7.  Section 602.6401, subsection 2, Code Supplement
  3 11 2005, is amended to read as follows:
  3 12    2.  By February of each year in which magistrates' terms
  3 13 expire, the state court administrator shall apportion
  3 14 magistrate offices among the counties in accordance with the
  3 15 following criteria:
  3 16    a.  The number and type of proceedings contained in the
  3 17 administrative reports required by section 602.6606.
  3 18    b.  a.  The existence of either permanent, temporary, or
  3 19 seasonal populations not included in the current census
  3 20 figures.
  3 21    c.  b.  The geographical area to be served.
  3 22    d.  c.  Any inordinate number of cases over which
  3 23 magistrates have jurisdiction that were pending at the end of
  3 24 the preceding year.
  3 25    e.  d.  The number and types of juvenile proceedings
  3 26 handled by district associate judges.
  3 27    Sec. 8.  Section 602.8102, subsection 44, 79, and 113, Code
  3 28 Supplement 2005, are amended by striking the subsections.
  3 29    Sec. 9.  Section 602.8102, subsection 106, Code Supplement
  3 30 2005, is amended to read as follows:
  3 31    106.  Carry out duties relating to the administration of
  3 32 small estates as provided in sections 635.1, 635.7, and 635.9,
  3 33 and 635.11.
  3 34    Sec. 10.  Section 626.16, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  3 35 follows:
  4  1    626.16  RECEIPT AND RETURN.
  4  2    Every officer to whose hands who receives an execution may
  4  3 come shall give provide a receipt therefor, if required,
  4  4 stating the hour when the same was received, and shall make
  4  5 sufficient return thereof of the execution, together with the
  4  6 money collected, on or before the seventieth one hundred
  4  7 twentieth day from the date of its issuance.
  4  8    Sec. 11.  Section 633.305, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  4  9 follows:
  4 10    633.305  NOTICE IF NO ADMINISTRATION.
  4 11    On admission of a will to probate without administration of
  4 12 the estate, and upon advanced payment of the costs by the
  4 13 proponent, the clerk shall cause to be published, in the
  4 14 manner prescribed in the preceding section, a notice of the
  4 15 admission of the will to probate.  As soon as practicable
  4 16 following the admission of the will to probate, the proponent
  4 17 shall give notice of the admission of the will to probate by
  4 18 ordinary mail addressed to the surviving spouse, each heir of
  4 19 the decedent, and each devisee under the will admitted to
  4 20 probate whose identities are reasonably ascertainable, at such
  4 21 persons' last known addresses.  The notice of the admission of
  4 22 the will to probate shall include a notice that any action to
  4 23 set aside the will must be brought within the later to occur
  4 24 of four months from the date of the second publication of the
  4 25 notice or one month from the date of mailing of this notice,
  4 26 or thereafter be barred.
  4 27    As used in this section, "heir" means only such person as
  4 28 would, in an intestate estate, be entitled to a share under
  4 29 section 633.219.
  4 30    The notice shall be substantially in the following form:
  4 31         Notice of Proof of Will Without Administration
  4 32 In the District Court of Iowa
  4 33 in and for .... County.                           Probate No.
  4 34                                                   ....
  4 35 In the Estate of ......, Deceased
  5  1 To All Persons Interested in the Estate of ......, Deceased,
  5  2 who died on or about ...... (date):
  5  3    You are hereby notified that on the .... day of ......
  5  4 (month), ... (year), the last will and testament of .........,
  5  5 deceased, bearing date of the ..... day of ...... (month), ...
  5  6 (year), was admitted to probate in the above named court and
  5  7 there will be no present administration of the estate.  Any
  5  8 action to set aside the will must be brought in the district
  5  9 court of the county within the later to occur of four months
  5 10 from the date of the second publication of this notice or one
  5 11 month from the date of mailing of this notice to all heirs of
  5 12 the decedent and devisees under the will whose identities are
  5 13 reasonably ascertainable, or thereafter be forever barred.
  5 14    Dated this ..... day of ...... (month), ... (year)
  5 15                         .....................................
  5 16                         Clerk of the district court Proponent
  5 17 ...................
  5 18 Attorney for estate
  5 19 ...................
  5 20 Address
  5 21 Date of second publication
  5 22 .... day of ...... (month), ... (year)
  5 23 (Date to be inserted by publisher)
  5 24    Sec. 12.  Section 642.23, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code
  5 25 2005, is amended to read as follows:
  5 26    Notwithstanding the seventy=day one hundred twenty=day
  5 27 period in section 626.16 for the return of an execution in
  5 28 garnishment for the payment of a support obligation, the
  5 29 sheriff shall promptly deposit any amounts collected with the
  5 30 clerk of the district court, and the clerk shall disburse the
  5 31 amounts, after subtracting applicable fees, within two working
  5 32 days of the filing of an order condemning funds as follows:
  5 33    Sec. 13.  Section 648.5, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  5 34 follows:
  5 35    648.5  JURISDICTION == HEARING == PERSONAL SERVICE.
  6  1    The court within the county shall have jurisdiction of
  6  2 actions for forcible entry and detainer.  They shall be tried
  6  3 as equitable actions.  Unless commenced as a small claim, a
  6  4 petition shall be presented to a district court judge.  Upon
  6  5 receipt of the petition, the court shall order a hearing which
  6  6 shall not be later than seven fourteen days from the date of
  6  7 the order.  Personal service shall be made upon the defendant
  6  8 not less than three days prior to the hearing.  In the event
  6  9 that personal service cannot be completed in time to give the
  6 10 defendant the minimum notice required by this section, the
  6 11 court may set a new hearing date.  A default cannot be made
  6 12 upon a defendant unless the three days' notice has been given.
  6 13    Sec. 14.  Section 655.4, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  6 14 follows:
  6 15    655.4  ENTRY OF FORECLOSURE.
  6 16    When a judgment of foreclosure is entered in any court, the
  6 17 clerk mortgagee shall record with the recorder an instrument
  6 18 in writing referring to the mortgage and duly acknowledging
  6 19 that the mortgage was foreclosed and giving the date of the
  6 20 decree.  A mortgagee who fails to record such instrument
  6 21 within thirty days of receiving a written request to record
  6 22 shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars plus
  6 23 reasonable attorney fees incurred by the party aggrieved, to
  6 24 be recovered in an action for the satisfaction or
  6 25 acknowledgement by the party aggrieved.  The fee for recording
  6 26 and indexing an instrument shall be as provided in section
  6 27 331.604.
  6 28    Sec. 15.  Section 655.5, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  6 29 follows:
  6 30    655.5  INSTRUMENT OF SATISFACTION.
  6 31    When the judgment is fully paid and satisfied upon the
  6 32 judgment docket of the court, the clerk mortgagee shall record
  6 33 with the recorder an instrument in writing, referring to the
  6 34 mortgage and duly acknowledging a satisfaction of the
  6 35 mortgage.  A mortgagee who fails to record such instrument
  7  1 within thirty days of receiving a written request to record
  7  2 shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars plus
  7  3 reasonable attorney fees incurred by the party aggrieved, to
  7  4 be recovered in an action for the satisfaction or
  7  5 acknowledgement by the party aggrieved.  The fee for recording
  7  6 and indexing an instrument shall be as provided in section
  7  7 331.604.
  7  8    Sec. 16.  Sections 602.6605, 602.6606, and 635.11, Code
  7  9 2005, are repealed.
  7 10                           EXPLANATION
  7 11    This bill relates to the judicial branch and court
  7 12 administration and procedure.
  7 13    The bill expands the supreme court's authority to adopt
  7 14 rules relating to expedited time frames for appeals from
  7 15 interlocutory orders entered in child in need of assistance
  7 16 proceedings or termination of parental rights orders entered
  7 17 pursuant to Code section 232.117.  Current law limits the
  7 18 supreme court's authority to adopt rules to expedite the
  7 19 resolution of appeals from final orders only.
  7 20    The bill specifies that the clerk of court shall send a
  7 21 copy of any order or approved consent agreement in a domestic
  7 22 abuse case to the county sheriff of the county in which the
  7 23 order or consent decree is initially entered.
  7 24    The bill eliminates the requirement that a clerk of court
  7 25 serve as a collection agent for the fee involved in recording
  7 26 a transfer of title to real estate.
  7 27    The bill identifies the state court administrator as the
  7 28 administrator of the board of shorthand reporters.
  7 29    The bill eliminates the 30=day deadline for action by the
  7 30 supreme court on applications for further review.
  7 31    The bill extends the period of time in which an execution
  7 32 of judgment is made for recovery of a judgment from 70 days to
  7 33 120 days.
  7 34    The bill amends the procedure for publication of a notice
  7 35 of an estate without administration by placing the
  8  1 responsibility with the proponent of the estate instead of
  8  2 with the clerk of court.
  8  3    The bill extends the time period for holding a hearing for
  8  4 a forcible entry and detainer action from 7 to 14 days after
  8  5 the date of scheduling.
  8  6    The bill establishes a procedure for prompt recording of
  8  7 foreclosures and satisfaction of foreclosures by the mortgagee
  8  8 instead of by the clerk of court, and establishes a monetary
  8  9 penalty of $100 for failure to record.
  8 10    The bill eliminates obsolete language concerning jail time
  8 11 reports by clerks of court and magistrate and judge reporting
  8 12 requirements, and provides other corrective amendments
  8 13 consistent with the amendments in the bill.
  8 14 LSB 5301DP 81
  8 15 rh:rj/gg/14.1