Iowa Courthouse Dress Code & Attire Rules (2026)

Short answer: Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 4 courthouses in Iowa. Updated 2026-11-04

All 4 county courthouses in Iowa enforce judicial decorum dress codes: shorts, flip-flops, tank tops, halter tops, pajamas, and hats are prohibited in courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may refuse entry or reset your hearing if you are improperly dressed. Iowa District Courthouses generally allow cell phones in hallways and jury lounges, requiring them to be turned off inside courtrooms.

County Courthouse	City	Courtroom dress code	Phone Lockers	Juror Parking
Polk County Polk County Courthouse (Des Moines) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Polk County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Des Moines	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Linn County Linn County Courthouse (Cedar Rapids) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Linn County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Cedar Rapids	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Scott County Scott County Courthouse (Davenport) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Scott County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Davenport	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated
Johnson County Johnson County Courthouse (Iowa City) “Courtroom Decorum Order (Johnson County): "Business casual required. No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, pajamas, or clothing with offensive graphics. Hats must be removed upon entering courtrooms. Judges and bailiffs may deny entry or reschedule appearances for inappropriate attire."”	Iowa City	Strict decorum: No shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, or hats	No lockers	Free Validated

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you wear jeans or shorts to court in Iowa?

Clean, non-ripped dark jeans are generally accepted for jurors and traffic court visitors, but shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and slides are prohibited across nearly all 4 courthouses in Iowa.

How is this courthouse policy data verified?

We verify every county against official Court Administrative Orders (.gov), Jury Commissioner instructions, and Sheriff Court Security directives. Last verified 2026-11-04.