No member of the general assembly shall be held to move or answer in any civil action in any court in this state while such general assembly is in session.
Rule 1.307.Member of general assembly
Division III: Commencement of Actions · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.307 shields a sitting member of the Iowa General Assembly from having to move or answer in any civil action while the legislature is in session.
Full Text of Rule 1.307
Plain-English Summary
Rule 1.307 is short and narrow: while the general assembly is in session, no member of it can be required to move or answer in any civil action pending in any Iowa court. It is a legislative privilege built into the rules of civil procedure rather than left to case law, and it applies across every civil court in the state.
The protection is tied strictly to the session itself. It pauses the obligation to respond to a lawsuit while lawmakers are doing legislative work; it does not immunize a legislator from being sued, and the response deadline picks back up once the session ends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a lawsuit deadline force a sitting Iowa legislator to respond while the general assembly is in session?
No. Rule 1.307 provides that no member of the general assembly shall be held to move or answer in any civil action while the general assembly is in session.
Does this protection stop someone from filing a lawsuit against a legislator?
No. The rule addresses when a legislator must move or answer, not whether an action can be filed against one.
Does the protection last forever, or does it end?
It is tied to the legislative session. The rule protects a member only while the general assembly is in session.
Does Rule 1.307 cover both state senators and state representatives?
Yes. The rule applies to any member of the general assembly, which includes both chambers.
What happens to the answer deadline once the legislative session ends?
The rule text does not itself set a resumed deadline, but its protection is limited to periods when the general assembly is in session, so the obligation to move or answer applies once the session concludes.
Source & verification. Rule text and the Comment are
reproduced verbatim from the Iowa Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the
Iowa Supreme Court. Last verified July 15, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: iowa legislator lawsuit immunitygeneral assembly session civil actioniowa lawmaker answer deadlinelegislative privilege iowa civil proceduresuing an iowa legislator during session