After any conference held pursuant to rule 1.602, an order shall be entered reciting the action taken. This order shall control the subsequent course of the action unless modified by a subsequent order. The order following a final pretrial conference shall be in accordance with the final pretrial order form found in rule 1.1901, form 6, and shall be modified only to prevent manifest injustice.
Rule 1.604.Pretrial orders
Division VI: Pretrial Procedure · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.604 requires a written order after every Rule 1.602 conference reciting the action taken, makes that order control the case's later course until modified, and requires the final pretrial order to follow the official form and be changed only to prevent manifest injustice.
Full Text of Rule 1.604
Plain-English Summary
After any conference held under Rule 1.602, the court must enter an order reciting what was decided. That order then controls the subsequent course of the action unless a later order modifies it — turning conference discussions into a binding roadmap the case follows going forward, not just a set of informal understandings.
The final pretrial order carries extra weight. It must follow the form found in Rule 1.1901, form 6, and Rule 1.604 allows it to be modified only to prevent manifest injustice — a considerably higher bar than the good-cause standard that governs changes to an earlier scheduling order under Rule 1.602(2)(c). That gap reflects how much the parties and the court rely on the final pretrial order as the case moves into trial.
Rule 1.511's provisions on withdrawing or amending an admission also tie back to this rule, since that withdrawal is itself subject to Rule 1.604's amendment standard for a pretrial order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens after a pretrial conference under Rule 1.602?
The court must enter a written order reciting the action taken at the conference, and that order controls the subsequent course of the case unless later modified.
Can a pretrial order be changed after it is entered?
Generally yes, by a later order, but changing the final pretrial order specifically requires showing that the change is necessary to prevent manifest injustice.
Is there a required form for the final pretrial order?
Yes. Rule 1.604 requires it to follow the form found in Rule 1.1901, form 6.
How does a pretrial order affect the rest of my case?
It controls the case's subsequent course unless modified, which is why the topics addressed at the conference and reflected in the order matter well beyond the conference itself.
Does the manifest-injustice standard apply to every scheduling change, or just the final pretrial order?
Just the final pretrial order under Rule 1.604. Earlier scheduling changes use the good-cause standard set out in Rule 1.602(2)(c).
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 pretrial order rulefinal pretrial order iowa form 6manifest injustice pretrial order iowarule 1.604 iowa civil procedure