The clerk shall mail notice of filing the report to all attorneys of record. Within ten days after mailing, unless the court enlarges the time, any party may file written objections to it. Application for action on said report, or objections, shall be heard on such notice as the court prescribes. The report shall have the same effect whether or not the reference was by consent; but where parties stipulate that the master's findings shall be final, only questions of law arising upon the report shall thereafter be considered. The court shall accept the master's findings of fact unless clearly erroneous; and may adopt, reject or modify the report wholly or in any part, or recommit it with instructions.
Rule 1.942.Disposition
Division IX: Trial and Judgment · Last amended February 15, 2002 · Last verified July 15, 2026
In one sentenceRule 1.942 requires the clerk to notify counsel of a filed master's report, gives parties ten days to object, and has the court accept the master's factual findings unless clearly erroneous while retaining power to adopt, reject, modify, or recommit the report.
Full Text of Rule 1.942
Plain-English Summary
Once a master's report is filed, Rule 1.942 sets what happens next. The clerk mails notice of the filing to all attorneys of record, and from that mailing, any party has ten days — unless the court enlarges the time — to file written objections to the report. Any application for the court to act on the report, or on objections to it, gets heard on whatever notice the court prescribes.
The report carries the same weight whether the reference to the master was by consent of the parties or ordered by the court. But if the parties specifically stipulated that the master's findings would be final, the rule narrows later review: only questions of law arising from the report get considered after that. Absent such a stipulation, the court must accept the master's findings of fact unless they are clearly erroneous, and the court retains the power to adopt, reject, or modify the report in whole or in part, or send it back to the master with instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out that a master's report has been filed?
Rule 1.942 requires the clerk to mail notice of the filing to all attorneys of record.
How long do I have to object to a master's report?
Ten days after the clerk mails notice of filing, unless the court enlarges that time, under Rule 1.942.
Does the court have to accept the master's factual findings?
Generally yes, unless they are clearly erroneous. Rule 1.942 requires the court to accept the master's findings of fact under that standard, while it may adopt, reject, or modify the legal conclusions and recommendations in the report.
What if the parties agreed that the master's findings would be final?
Rule 1.942 then limits later review to questions of law arising on the report, rather than allowing a fresh look at the facts.
Can the court send the report back to the master?
Yes. Rule 1.942 lets the court recommit the report to the master with instructions, in addition to adopting, rejecting, or modifying it.
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 master report objection deadlineclearly erroneous standard master report iowarecommit master report iowaiowa civil rule 1.942