The Iowa State Bar Association (ISBA) is made up of some 6,000 lawyers who are licensed to practice law in the State of Iowa. Membership in the ISBA is voluntary. ISBA members work to further the legal profession in a variety of ways. These include conducting seminars to explain legal concepts and procedures to members of the public, publishing guides for the layperson on issues such as landlord/tenant law and elder affairs, and providing a toll-free "reporter's hotline" where members of the media can turn for information and sources on legal issues.

Lawyers in Iowa are required to complete a number of mandatory continuing education hours each year, and the ISBA serves as the primary sponsor of a great number of these seminars and programs. In addition, members who choose to belong to one of the ISBA's 20 sections receive regular updates on important developments within those specialized topics, all in an effort to better serve the public.

In 1996, the ISBA provided a copy of the first edition of this book free of charge to all media outlets in Iowa; this second edition updates information and adds new material. This guide is designed to be a single source handbook for reporters who cover Iowa courts and the law, as part of the bar's continuing outreach efforts to educate the public and the media about the workings of our judicial system. It is not intended to be used as legal advice or as a substitute for consultation with a lawyer concerning the specific facts of a given situation. It is merely a guide to help journalists in their work. You should consult a lawyer for answers to specific legal questions.

It can be difficult for those in the media to report on courts and the law. The procedure and terminology is specific to the profession and can be confusing even for those who have a background in the field.

The purpose of Covering Iowa Law and Courts: A Guide for Journalists is to help members of the media report on our legal system more easily and accurately. Prior to this book’s original publication, there had not been a single-source reference guide that explains the Iowa system and how it works. This book was intended to be that source; hopefully you will come to rely upon it as you would a stylebook or a dictionary.

From criminal courts to divorce law, lawyer discipline to how judges are chosen--Covering Iowa Law and Courts: A Guide for Journalists should be of great help as you do your work. However, do not use this book as a substitute for specific legal advice. Our laws change frequently, both through legislative changes and new case law interpretation. The examples cited in this book are there to provide a general sense of a given situation; however, the specific facts of different situations may lead to different results. You should contact your own counsel, or one of the various legal hotlines operated by media groups, for information about specific situations. Where opinions are given in this book, they are solely those of the author, Prof. Jeff Stein of Wartburg College, and not necessarily those of the Iowa State Bar Association.

We hope you find the information contained in this book to be helpful to you as you carry out your important work keeping the public accurately informed.