The Clerk of District Court is a state office which is part of the Eighth Judicial District. They are the custodian of court records relating to Civil Court Actions, Probate Court, Small Claims Court, Mental and Substance Abuse Commitments, Adoptions, Change of Name, Juvenile Court, Dissolution of Marriage, Traffic Court, Criminal Court, and Jury Management.

The Iowa Judicial Branch is composed of a supreme court, a court of appeals, and a unified trial court known as the "Iowa District Court." 

As of July 1, 2007, there is one chief justice and 6 justices in the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals is made up of 1 chief judge and 8 judges. Statewide there are 116 district court judges, 58 district associate judges, 12 associate juvenile judges, one associate probate judge, 30 senior judges, and 144 judicial magistrates authorized to serve in the Iowa judicial branch.