Iowa to Test Court for Complex Business Litigation

A court that specializes in handling complex business litigation will be created under a three-year pilot program meant to improve the efficiency of the Iowa judicial system.

The Iowa Supreme Court issued an order Friday establishing the Iowa Business Specialty Court, which will handle disputes in cases involving intellectual property rights, business contracts, commercial property and more.

The supreme court will select three judges to join the court based on their prior experience handling such cases. They will be tasked with adopting case management practices that help resolve high-stakes business cases quickly and fairly.

Participation will be voluntary, and all parties must agree to opt in. Only cases in which damages totaling $200,000 or more are alleged, or those seeking injunctive or declaratory relief will be eligible for the docket.