If you decide to file for divorce in Polk County, Iowa, your experience will depend entirely on the type of marriage dissolution you are going to have and the way you choose to approach it.The simplest option would be filing for uncontested divorce, and using an online service to do it.
Options for Filing in Polk County, Iowa
Cost
Timeline
$12,000-$30,000 for each spouse.
Hard to predict. Usually around 1 year.
Around $5,000
A few months on average.
Free forms
When choosing which Polk County divorce papers to file, it is important to consider every aspect of your case. Having children or different types of assets and debts will significantly change the set of documents you will be required to submit. You will find some of the common divorce forms required to file in Polk County, Iowa, below.
FINANCIAL AFFIDAVIT FOR A DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE.pdf
PETITION FOR DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE.pdf
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT FOR A DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE.pdf
***Note that these forms are an example of the documents that you will be required to fill out. In general, the court will oblige you to file more than 15 divorce forms depending on the complexity of your case.***
Couples who cannot reach an agreement on financial, property, and child-related aspects of their divorce will have to file for contested marriage dissolution. The only way they can end their marriage is by hiring lawyers and paying them huge sums for advocating on their behalf.
Those who are in agreement, can file for uncontested divorce in Polk County, Iowa, either with or without a lawyer. Those who do not want to hire an attorney can save both time and money by getting online divorce in Iowa.
Pros of ordering with OnlineDivorcer:
- Affordable prices
- 100% court approval guarantee
- Free filing instructions
- Full package of documents
- Expedited service
- Up-to-date forms
- Flat fee regardless of the number of children
Divorce Courts in Polk County, Iowa
Polk County District Court
Judge Name:
Arthur E. Gamble, Richard G. Blane, II, Robert J. Blink, Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger, Jeffrey D. Farrell, Mary Pat Gunderson, Robert B. Hanson, Michael D. Huppert, Robert A. Hutchison, Lawrence P. McLellan, Eliza Ovrom, Karen A. Romano, Scott D. Rosenberg, Paul Scott, Douglas Staskal, D. Stovall, Jeanie K. Vaudt, Romonda D. Belcher, James D. Birkenholz, Gregory D. Brandt, Carol L. Coppola, Susan Cox, Carol S. Egly, Louise Jacobs, Cynthia M. Moisan, Odell McGhee, II, William A. Price, Joseph W. Seidlin, Rachael E. Seymour, Colin J. Witt, Craig E. Block
Clerk Name:
Stacy M. Butterfield
Court Address:
500 Mulberry Street,Room 212, Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Phone:
(515) 286 3772
Fax:
(515) 323 5250
Clerk Hours:
7:30am-4:30pm
Website:
Parking information:
Free parking is available in any of the City of Des Moines Parking Ramps. The closest locations are: 422 Walnut (entrances Walnut & 5th), 210 Second Avenue (entrance on 3rd Avenue), 4th & Grand (entrance on 4th & Grand), and the county lot south of the courthouse located at 600 Cherry Street. Bring your parking stub to the Jury Clerk for validation each day. Parking in any other facility or overtime parking tickets will be at your own expense.
Helpful tips
If some of the information seems unclear, it might be necessary to contact the Polk County court clerk. You might want to consider asking about:
- Any additional forms that might be required specifically by this court.
- Filing fees and other court-related expenses that you might have to cover.
- Recent changes or updates that have not yet been reflected on their website.
While court clerks cannot provide legal advice, they can be very helpful when it comes to factual questions about court procedures and processes.
Polk County Notaries
Comparing fees, locations, and availability of notaries in Polk County, Iowa, as well as how well they answered your questions will help you make an informed decision and choose the most suitable notary for your situation. Here is the list of county notaries in the area:
Michael G. Friedel
Windsor Heights, IA
Phone: 515-707-1999
Kari Formaro-Tumea
Des Moines, IA
Phone: 515-556-8399 · Cell: 515-556-8399
Johanna Bosch
Des Moines, IA
Phone: 515-259-3347 · Cell: 515-259-3347
Roland Huff
Urbandale, IA
Phone: 515-321-5113
Anthony Davis
Des Moines, IA
Phone: 515-333-1229 · Cell: 515-333-1229
David Namink
Urbandale, IA
Phone: 515-480-3103
Helpful tips
- Before settling on a specific notary in Polk County, consider contacting them to inquire about the price of their services and ask if any additional documents are needed
- Fill out all the necessary fields in the forms beforehand. You will not be able to change or add new information to the papers after they are notarized.
- Sign the documents in front of a notary public. As notaries have legal liability to confirm the validity of your signature, you can put it down on the form only in their presence.
- Bring an ID or a driver’s license for verification purposes. Make sure that the form of identification you are carrying has your signature on it so thata notary can compare it with the one you are going to put on the paperwork.
Child Support Services
Please note that this section will only be useful for spouses filing for divorce with children in Iowa.
Feel free to use the link provided on the page to review information regarding Iowa child support guidelines and payments. You are also welcome to use the contact information of the child support division if you have any specific inquiries. Before making a call, please note that you will find answers to the most common questions on their website, no matter if you are the one who will be receiving or paying child support in Polk County.
County name: Des Moines County
Phone: 888-229-9223
Address: Child Support Office
Child Support Recovery Unit
400 SW 8th Street Suite H
Des Moines, IA 50309
