Iowa R. Elec. P. 16.305

16.305(1) Registered filers. A registered filer’s login and password required for submission of

documents to EDMS, accompanied by a digitized, electronic, or nonelectronic signature

representation and a signature block as described in rule 16.305(4)(a), serve as the registered

filer’s signature on all electronic documents filed with the court. These also serve as a signature

for purposes of the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, any other applicable Iowa Court Rules, and

for any other purpose for which a signature is required in connection with proceedings before the

court.

16.305(2) Nonelectronic signatures. If a document contains a nonelectronic signature, the

signed document must be scanned for electronic filing.

16.305(3) Documents requiring oaths, affirmations, verifications, acknowledgements, or

notarization. Any document requiring that a signature be made under oath or affirmation or with

verification or acknowledgement, or any document being notarized, must be either signed by the

subscriber nonelectronically and scanned for electronic filing or signed by the subscriber with a

digitized signature. The same requirements apply to any oath giver’s or witness’s signature.

COMMENT:

Rule 16.305(3). A notary signature cannot be an electronic /s/ signature; it must be a digitized or nonelectronic signature.

The notary seal may be electronic pursuant to Iowa Code chapter 9B. If the law requires the document to be signed in the

notary’s presence, the oath giver’s and witness’s signatures must be either nonelectronic or digitized (applied by a mechanism

such as a signature pad that captures an unaltered image of the signer’s signature). See Iowa Secretary of State website for

additional information on notarization.

16.305(4) Signature blocks. Any filing requiring a signature must be signed with a signature

representation authorized by these rules and accompanied by a block of identifying information.

a. The following identifying information about the person signing the filing, to the extent

applicable, must be typewritten or printed under the person’s signature representation:

1. Name.

2. Law firm or name of partnership, association, corporation, tribe, or individual property

owner in a landlord-tenant matter on whose behalf the filing agent is signing.

3. Mailing address.

4. Telephone number.

5. Email address.

6. The email addresses of any other persons at the law firm who are to be notified of additions

or corrections to the electronic file.

b. Victims and protected persons may omit mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and email

addresses from their signature block when necessary for their protection.

c. Registered filers are responsible for promptly updating the information in (1) through (6) of

rule 16.305(4)(a) in their EDMS account. Nonregistered filers are responsible for informing the

court of any changes in this information with respect to all cases in which they have appeared.

COMMENT:

Rule 16.305(4). Under the signature rules of chapter 16, the following signature blocks are valid:

/s/ Judith Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

JAttorney@Law.gov

Or,

/s/ with name typed beside symbol as follows:

/s/ Judith Attorney

Judith Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

JAttorney@Law.gov

Or,

/ Judith Attorney /

Judith Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

JAttorney@Law.gov

Or,

Judith Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

JAttorney@Law.gov

If the attorney logged in is not the attorney signing, the document must be signed by both, including a signature block for

each attorney.

/s/ Judith Attorney

Judith Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

JAttorney@Law.gov

And

/s/ Andrew Attorney

Andrew Attorney

Attorney Law Firm

1111 Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50209

515–555–5555

AAttorney@Law.gov

16.305(5) Multiple signatures.

a. By filing a document containing two or more signatures, the registered filer confirms that

the content of the document is acceptable to all persons signing the document and that all such

persons consent to having their signatures appear on the document.

b. To receive notice of the filing of subsequent documents in the case, any persons signing the

document must be registered filers.

c. After following the requirements of this rule, the registered filer must either:

(1) Scan the original document, with all of the signatures attached, and file the document

electronically; or

(2) Electronically file the document in a portable document format (.pdf) using a signature

format set out in the comment to rule 16.305(4).

16.305(6) Signatures presumed valid.

a. A signature on an electronically filed document is presumed valid and authentic until

established otherwise by clear and convincing evidence.

b. A digitized or nonelectronic signature on a document that a governmental agency

electronically files for the purpose of obtaining court action or any other signature the court has

approved is presumed valid even if the signature is not from a registered filer.

COMMENT:

Rule 16.305(6). This rule does not supersede any foundation or proof requirements contained in the Iowa Code or the Iowa

Court Rules.

16.305(7) Disputing authenticity or validity of signatures. An attorney or a party who disputes

the authenticity or validity of any digitized, nonelectronic, or electronic signature on an

electronically filed document must file an objection to the signature within 30 days after the

attorney or party knew or should have known the signature was not authentic or valid.