Exceptions to rulings or orders of court are unnecessary whenever a matter has been called to the attention of the court, by objection, motion or otherwise and the court has ruled thereon.
Rule 1.905.Exceptions unnecessary
Division IX: Trial and Judgment · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.905 eliminates the need for formal exceptions to a court's rulings or orders whenever the issue was already brought to the court's attention by objection, motion, or otherwise and the court ruled on it.
Full Text of Rule 1.905
Plain-English Summary
Older procedure required a party to take a formal exception to preserve a ruling for appeal, on top of whatever objection or motion already put the issue before the court. Rule 1.905 does away with that extra step in Iowa practice.
Under the rule, an exception is unnecessary whenever a matter has already been called to the court's attention — through an objection, a motion, or any other means — and the court has ruled on it. Raising the issue and getting a ruling does the preservation work a separate exception once did.
This keeps trial practice from piling procedural formality on top of substance. What matters is that the court had a real opportunity to address the issue and did so, not whether counsel followed up with a ritual phrase noting an exception to the ruling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still need to take a formal exception after a ruling?
No. Rule 1.905 makes exceptions to rulings or orders unnecessary whenever the matter was already called to the court's attention and the court ruled on it.
What counts as bringing a matter to the court's attention under this rule?
Rule 1.905 lists an objection, a motion, or otherwise — any of these ways of raising the issue and getting a ruling satisfies the rule.
Why did Iowa eliminate the formal exception requirement?
Rule 1.905 reflects the view that a ruling on a properly raised objection or motion already preserves the issue, so a separate, formal exception adds a procedural step without adding substance.
Does this rule apply to every kind of ruling or order at trial?
Rule 1.905 speaks broadly to rulings or orders of the court, without limiting itself to a particular type of ruling, so long as the matter was raised and the court ruled on it.
If the court never rules on my objection, does Rule 1.905 still excuse me from taking an exception?
The rule's text ties the exception-free treatment to a matter that has been called to the court's attention and the court has ruled on it, so both raising the issue and getting an actual ruling matter under Rule 1.905.
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 exceptions unnecessary rulepreserving error for appeal iowa civilrule 1.905 iowaobjection ruling preserve issue iowa