The record and evidence in each case of marriage dissolution shall be kept pursuant to the following provisions:
 1. Until a decree of dissolution has been entered, the record and evidence shall be closed to all but the court, its officers, and the child support recovery unit of the department of human services pursuant to section 252B.9. However, the payment records of a temporary support order maintained by the clerk of the district court are public records and may be released upon request. Payment records shall not include address or location information. No other person shall permit a copy of any of the testimony, or pleading, or the substance of any testimony or pleading, to be made available to any person other than a party to the action or a party’s attorney. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit publication of the original notice as provided by the rules of civil procedure.

Attorney's Note

Under the Iowa Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Serious misdemeanorup to 1 yearbetween $430 and $2,560
For details, see Iowa Code§ 903.1

Terms Used In Iowa Code 598.26

  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Child: includes child by adoption. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • clerk: means clerk of the court in which the action or proceeding is brought or is pending; and the words "clerk's office" mean the office of that clerk. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Dissolution of marriage: means a termination of the marriage relationship and shall be synonymous with the term "divorce". See Iowa Code 598.1
  • Docket: A log containing brief entries of court proceedings.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to a chapter or other part of a statute mean the next preceding or next following chapter or other part. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • person: means individual, corporation, limited liability company, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, or any other legal entity. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in perceivable form. See Iowa Code 651.1
  • Records: includes probate and other official public records, as well as records in the office of the county recorder. See Iowa Code 614.29
  • Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
 2. The court shall, in the absence of objection by another party, grant a motion by a party to require the sealing of an answer to an interrogatory or of a financial statement filed pursuant to section 598.13. The court may in its discretion grant a motion by a party to require the sealing of any other information which is part of the record of the case except for court orders, decrees and any judgments. If the court grants a motion to require the sealing of information in the case, the sealed information shall not thereafter be made available to any person other than a party to the action or a party’s attorney except upon order of the court for good cause shown.
 3. If the action is dismissed, judgment for costs shall be entered in the judgment docket and lien index. The clerk shall maintain a separate docket for dissolution of marriage actions.
 4. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be a serious misdemeanor.