Prior to final submission of the case, no juror whose faith requires observing Saturday as a religious day can be compelled to attend on that day.
Rule 1.916.Saturday a religious day
Division IX: Trial and Judgment · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.916 lets a juror whose faith treats Saturday as a religious day skip court on that day any time before the case goes to the jury for final decision.
Full Text of Rule 1.916
Plain-English Summary
Jury trials do not pause for the weekend, but Rule 1.916 carves out a narrow exception for faith. If a juror's religious beliefs require observing Saturday as a day of rest or worship, the court cannot force that juror to show up on a Saturday. The protection runs until the case is finally submitted to the jury — once deliberations formally begin, the rule no longer applies.
This is a short rule with a clear purpose: it keeps the machinery of a multi-day trial from running over a juror's sincerely held religious practice. A judge scheduling trial days around a juror's Saturday observance is following this rule, not making a special accommodation outside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a court force a juror to attend trial on a Saturday?
Not if the juror's faith requires observing Saturday as a religious day. Rule 1.916 says that juror cannot be compelled to attend on that day, as long as the case has not yet been finally submitted.
Does this protection last through jury deliberations?
No. The rule protects a juror only prior to final submission of the case. Once the jury has the case for its final decision, the exemption described in Rule 1.916 no longer governs.
Does a juror have to prove a specific religious denomination to get this accommodation?
The rule speaks in terms of a juror "whose faith requires" observing Saturday, without listing qualifying denominations or a proof procedure — a fact question left to be worked out with the trial court.
What happens to the trial schedule if a juror invokes this rule?
The rule does not spell out scheduling mechanics; it forbids compelling that juror's attendance on the protected day, leaving the court to adjust the trial calendar accordingly.
Does this rule apply to witnesses or only to jurors?
By its own terms, Rule 1.916 addresses jurors, not witnesses or other trial participants.
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
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