Iowa R. Elec. P. 16.308

16.308(1) Selecting document types. For each electronically filed document, a filer must

choose an accurate document type from the options listed on the electronic cover sheet.

16.308(2) Correcting document types.

a. Clerk of court to correct document types. Once a document is submitted into EDMS, only

the clerk of court may make corrections to the document type the filer has chosen.

b. Clerk of court to correct docket entries. If a docket entry is incorrect, only a clerk of court

can correct the docket entry. The docket will reflect that the clerk made a change to a docket

entry.

c. Errors that filers discover.

(1) If a filer discovers an error in the electronic filing or docketing of a document, the filer

must contact the clerk of court as soon as possible. When contacting the clerk, the filer must have

available the case number of the document that was filed or docketed erroneously.

(2) A filer may not refile or attempt to refile a document that has been erroneously filed or

docketed unless the clerk of court specifically directs the filer to do so.

(3) To meet a deadline, a filer who discovers an error in the electronic filing or docketing of a

document but who cannot immediately contact the clerk of court may resubmit a corrected

document.

d. Errors that clerks of court discover.

(1) If the clerk of court discovers an error in the filing or docketing of a document, the clerk

will ordinarily notify the filer of the error and advise the filer of what further action the filer must

take, if any, to address the error.

(2) The clerk of court may return the submission to the filer with an explanation of the error

and instructions to correct the filing. In such instances, it is the responsibility of the filer to keep a

record of the notice EDMS generated to verify the date and time of the original submission. The

rules of this chapter are not intended to address whether a filer who submits a corrected filing

after return of the original submission may have the date and time of the corrected filing relate

back to the date and time of the original submission.

(3) If the error is minor, the clerk of court may, with or without notifying the parties, either

correct or disregard the error.

(4) An error in the filing or docketing of a document may be an error that adversely affects the

proper processing of the document by EDMS, such as a document that is filed in the wrong case,

a document that is filed with the wrong event code, or a document that is scanned incorrectly. It

may also be an omission of information necessary to properly identify the parties initiating a new

case or the subjects of a warrant, a failure to pay a required filing fee, an error that prevents the

correct filing fee from being charged, or the omission of a signature from a filing that must be

signed.

COMMENT:

Rule 16.308(2). This rule addresses instances when a filer selects an incorrect document type or submits documents that

cannot be correctly filed or docketed. The clerk of court may return a submission to the filer for correction when, for example,

a document is scanned upside down or sideways, is scanned in such a way that the file stamp cannot be applied, is improperly

attached to other documents, or is submitted under the wrong docket entry such that EDMS cannot process the document

correctly. It is the filer’s responsibility to keep a record of the original submission date and time, as well as the reason for the

return of the filing, contained in the Filing Status Reports available through the filer’s EDMS account under My Filings.